Train Bridge 3344

Basic

Region: Central PA

Location

Type: Railroad feature
Status: Abandoned

Bridge Structure

Type: Rail
Status: Abandoned
Length: 2,415 feet
Height (AGL): Estimated 30 feet
Opened: 1911
Closed: 1976

Train Bridge 3344 was built in 1911 to serve the Reading Railroad in the Central PA area. This bridge crosses the Susquehanna River in the east, and a swampy floodplain in the west. The portion of the bridge that crosses the Susquehanna is a standard truss style bridge, and the portion that crosses the floodplain is a mix between concrete arches and a steel girder style bridge.

The bridge ceased operations in 1976 and has declined ever since. At some point in the bridge’s life, the concrete arches were filled in with more concrete. Now, the concrete portion of the bridge can almost be mistaken as real land – that’s how overgrown it is.

A private owner bought the bridge, possibly around 2006, with the intention of turning the bridge into a caboose vacation motel. This is the source of the three cabooses resting on the bridge now, but it doesn’t appear they have made any progress since.

Train Bridge 3344 East End

The eastern end of [[ Train Bridge 3344 ]]. Here you can see how overgrown the ends of the bridge are.

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Train Bridge 3344 On the Deck

Walking along the deck of [[ Train Bridge 3344 ]]. To the left you can partially see the remains of a telegraph system that ran along the truss.

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Train Bridge 3344 Side of the Bridge

A view of [[ the bridge // Train Bridge 3344 ]] from the side. This photo was taken standing on one of the cutwaters that can be seen in the distance.

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Train Bridge 3344 River View

A view of the river from one of the [[ cutwaters // Train Bridge 3344 ]].

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Train Bridge 3344 Side Ladder

Every [[ cutwater // Train Bridge 3344 ]] had a ladder from the bridge deck for east access. This photo was taken standing on the downstream side of the cutwater. From here, you can access the upstream side of the cutwater by crawling under the steel portion of the bridge.

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Train Bridge 3344 Open Deck Girder Portion

The open deck steel girder (west) portion of [[ Train Bridge 3344 ]]. From here you can see the Catawissa Railroad caboose resting on the track. Unfortunately, this portion of the bridge is highly exposed and visible to the road, so I did not go any further.

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Train Bridge 3344 Open Deck Steel Girder, Side View

A side view of the western end of [[ Train Bridge 3344 ]]. From here, you can see two of the three cabooses resting on the bridge. The bridge stops abruptly in the air to the left, where the black steel girder ends.

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Train Bridge 3344 Conrail Caboose

The Conrail Caboose between the girder and truss portions of [[ the bridge // Train Bridge 3344 ]].

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Train Bridge 3344 1911 Construction

by unknown - Public domain

[[ Train Bridge 3344 ]] under construction – big view.

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Train Bridge 3344 1911 Construction (arches)

by unknown - Public domain

The concrete arch portion of [[ Train Bridge 3344 ]] under construction.

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Sources

https://bridgehunter.com/pa/columbia/reading-rr-catawissa/
http://caboosenut.com/rupert_bridge.htm