Extremely Rare Indiana Stone Arch Railroad Bridge Steel Bridge Built Underneath Foot Bridge On Side

This beautiful stone arch railroad bridge was built in 1901 but the line dates back to just after the Civil War in 1866 when the Danville, Urbana, Bloomington and Pekin Railroad Company in Illinois built a railroad to the Eastern Boundary of Illinois. This rail line merged with a line in Indiana to form the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western Railway Company which opened to traffic October 1, 1869. In that year this railroad trestle was built over Dry Branch Creek on the west side of Crawfordsville, Indiana.
The Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Railway Company eventually became the Peoria and Eastern Railway in 1890. In February 1890 the rail line entered into an agreement with the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis railway, also known as “The Big Four” surrendering operation and control of the railroad to the Big Four.
In 1901 construction of this stone arch bridge began to replace the previously built wooden trestle and was completed in 1902.
According to the Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database: The railroads did not construct a large number of stone-arch bridges in the state. Throughout the last quarter of the 19th century, railroad engineers preferred metal spans for most crossings, since metal was usually cheaper and quicker to erect than cut-stone structures. As the railroads accumulated capital through revenues and moved to double-tracking at the century's end, their engineers looked more favorably upon arches and built a few stone ones. In the new century, however, concrete quickly supplanted masonry as the material of choice, especially on the railroads. Since few cut-stone arches were built on Indiana's rail system, only a handful survive.
This single-span structure carried two tracks between stone walls. The arch ring is semicircular, and its large, quarried blocks are well dressed and mortared. The bridge has stepped wingwalls which join the spandrel walls at an angle.
The Crawfordsville Sunday Star from September 2, 1901 states that: The arch was completed at 5:30 pm on Friday August 30 with the last stone set. A metal box was inserted into the stone that included the names of the contractor, superintendent, engineer and inspector. Also included was a note that said:
No life was lost and no injuries sustained by anyone in the dangerous work. Not a train was delayed and yet work has been one of the great gravity. Bridge superintendent Markley, largely responsible for the work, should feel proud of the successfully completion of the great contract”
As shown in these pictures, a small foot bridge was built across the creek as well. Shortly after the arch bridge was completed a steel pony truss bridge was constructed under the arch as opposed to having to ford the stream on what was eventually known as “Big 4 Arch Road. The 78 foot long bridge has since been removed, probably around 1989.
It’s unusual to find a cut stone railroad bridge over a roadway here in Indiana and was even rarer to have a pony truss bridge under that arch. Does anyone out there know of another site in the state where a pony truss was built under a stone arch railroad bridge?
GPS Location: 40°02'04.4"N 86°54'58.2"W
www.HistoryInYourOwnBackyard.com
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[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

I really like your quotes which open so many of your programmes - and totally agree with what they say! They are so true - not just about Indiana but anywhere, and everywhere in the world. God gave us eyes to see, minds to appreciate, and a wonderful world to use them both one.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Actually I stole those "quotes" from journalist George Ade who wrote that in one of his articles back in 1921. Glad you like it!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

There is so much out there to discover. You can never get bored on Planet Earth. :)

[@slowboywhiteboardv4]

Opting for the "cheaper & quicker to build" option is why not too many things have lasted over a hundred years around here. At least we have a few beautiful things still left to admire.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Exactly!

[@everyday_treasures]

"all of our motorist are rushing past the things worth seeing, instead of stopping to enjoy them" I love that, it is what "Everyday Treasures" was meant to be! I love your work and always look forward to a new video! Thank you for posting!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you like the project!

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

Your film just came back up on YT and I realised something, watching for the second time. Although not in Indiana, there was a similar bridge on the old Brecon & Merthyr Railway a few miles west of Brecon, in Wales (GB) Like this, both a railway and a road crossed over a river, one above the other at similarly skewed angles. The railway is now gone, but the bridge abutments still stand, flanking the lower bridge. Its not exactly a common arrangement, but very attractive.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Cool! Thanks for telling me. Do you have any pictures?

[@michaelpellecchia4166]

Thank you for doing these videos. Without the knowledge of the history of the structures around us, we remain ignorant of the effort and engineering of our ancestors. This is a beautiful structure and should be recognized as such.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

My feelings exactly.

[@jackwalsh1468]

Satolli, another well crafted video... I look forward to the next one. Any word on the Saylor Park 50 year tornado anniversary video??

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I haven't found anyone willing to pay for the production of the Saylor Park video.

[@campermike8879]

If you ever come to SW Va I and hook you up with a lot of stone arch bridge as well and some truss bridges. Even some abandoned ones. Close as we came to this there WAS a truss bridge just outside a arch It was replaced 3 years ago I have not been to check out the replacement

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

I do plan to come to SW Virginia in January or February. Can you give me any GPS coordinates for those bridges?

[@MoellerEngineeringCo.]

A hidden gem!

[@d.y.h.w.]

Love the channel! I'm glued to anything History related.❤

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Glad you like the project.

[@berrypainter]

Awesome as always....

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Thanks!

[@TheGeno1966]

Well done as usual!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Thanks!

[@shawnrobinson225]

I remember going either mushroom hunting or sledding right around Big Four Arch which I also remember the old iron bridge under the Big Four Arch

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Do you know for sure when the iron bridge was removed?

[@shawnrobinson225]

@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 Late 1980’s-Early 1990s

[@jeffs5093]

That is a unique railroad and bridge combination. Thank you for the video.

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

You're welcome!

[@musclecarmitch908]

Awesome! Beautiful bridge! Thanks for sharing it with us!👍

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

You're welcome!

[@johnswigler6512]

Great investigation, Satolli. 🧢🇺🇸

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

thanks!

[@joeanderson9852]

👍👍

[@JamesAllmond]

The Interstate Highway System all but killed local tourism. If you are not from a place, the chances of seeing the neat old stuff around a place is almost nil... I mean I literally used to live less than 2 miles from the old wharf and docks on the northside of Macon, Ga. Most folks who are from here don't even know it ever existed... not much left except for the remains of a curiously paved road in the middle of a forest off a neighborhood built in the 60's and 70's. Complete with Railroad crossing (and even that is gone now) to apparently no where...

[@CharlieTheAstronaut]

I do not really care much for US architecture, historical or new (probably since the USA bombed and destroyed architecture in my country), but lovely video and channel you got here!

[@historyinyourownbackyard2363]

Thanks! What country are you from?

[@CharlieTheAstronaut]

@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 Haha, I admit, it is a bit hard to figure out, given only the fact that the US dropped bombs here. I am from Germany, but I grew up and currently live (again) in Serbia :)

[@Isaiah-ip4xj]

@@CharlieTheAstronaut sounds like a sauerkraut

[@CharlieTheAstronaut]

@@Isaiah-ip4xjHaha, nice one :D