In addition to the original Kinzua Bridge, a section of the NYC elevated railway was built using the Columns, as well as about 800 other bridges between 18. The famous architect Alan Burham stated that the greatest advantage of the Phoenix Column was that it’s riveted construction more easily facilitated the use of wind-bracing that allowed tall buildings to be built on smaller city lots. The Phoenix Column is a strong, relatively light building component that can be easily transported to the construction site and then fabricated to many different sizes. The column is a hollow, circular beam that is made by riveting 4, 6 or 8 individual segments together. The Phoenix Column was invented by Samuel Reeves in 1862. An Erie Railroad steam helper locomotive shoves a heavy coal train across the Kinzua Bridge sometime in the 1940’s. The magnificent bridge that had thrilled (and frightened) railroad passengers and visitors for over a century was gone in less than 30 seconds. Less than a year later, as crews that were working to strengthen the bridge were leaving for the day, a F1 tornado swept down the valley and hit the Kinzua Bridge with a force that lifted and twisted the massive steel bridge towers causing almost the entire structure to collapse. In September 2002 it was determined that the bridge was susceptible to collapse from strong winds and all rail and foot traffic over the bridge was suspended.

In the 1990’s, the Knox and Kane Railroad began running tourist trains over the bridge using sections of the former B&O Railroad and the former Erie Railroad. Kinzua Bridge State Park was opened in 1970 and the bridge continued to awe a whole new generation of people just as it had done since first being built in 1882. Kovalchick realized the historical value of the amazing bridge and instead of tearing it down, sold it to the State of Pennsylvania in 1963. The bridge was sold to Nick Kovalchick for scrap, but Mr.

(incidentally, the B&O’s predecessor, the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad had built around the Kinzua Creek valley instead of building a bridge over it). for nearly 60 more years until the Erie Railroad discontinued service over the bridge and began to use the tracks of the parallel B&O Railroad.

Countless loads of coal from central Pennsylvania mines rumbled north across the bridge at the mandatory speed limit of 5 m.p.h. As the weight of railroad equipment increased rapidly in subsequent years, the bridge was rebuilt using steel in 1900. Construction began in May of 1882 and was completed in only three months by a crew of 40 men using the wrought iron Phoenix Column as the main supporting bridge members. Bonzano is said to have replied “We’ll build you a bridge a bridge a thousand feet high if you have the money!”. Kane reportedly asked the Chief Designer of the Phoenix Bridge Company, Adolphus Bonzano if it was even possible to build a railroad bridge as high as would be required. Faced with the choice of an 8 mile route around the valley of Kinzua Creek or a gigantic bridge spanning the chasm, railway official Thomas L. The bridge was built for the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad by the Phoenix Bridge Company as the railroad was building south from the Bradford, Pennsylvania area to access rich coal lands in Elk County, Pennsylvania. The spindly structure soared 301 feet above Kinzua Creek and when constructed in 1882, was the tallest railroad bridge in the world. The Kinzua Viaduct, located in Northwestern Pennsylvania, was once known as “The Eighth Wonder of the World”. In this postcard view, an Erie passenger train heads towards Bradford on the newly rebuilt steel bridge.

The knox and kane railroad story 1991