Lotus Bridge
One of the shortest steel bridges built on the Montour Railroad, this 10 foot bridge was last used on Lotus Siding to span a small creek flowing under Cliff Mine Road and the railroad at trail mile 5.5 in Robinson Township.
Reportedly, it was originally built on the main line in the late 1800's. During a realignment project in the 1920's, a heavier bridge was erected on the main line and this span was moved and reused when the siding was built.
Allegheny County replaced this and two adjacent bridges with a concrete culvert in 2010.
The construction of this bridge can be seen under the cut-away ties. Larger steel bridges on the railroad were of similar construction, with two main girders connected by cross bracing, but on a larger scale.
The main beams or girders were spaced so the rails and thus the weight of the trains were directly over these main supports.
The Montour Railroad maintained over 80 bridges on 55 miles of track. Many of them are still in use on the Montour Trail.
Montour #77 is eastbound on the main line. Lotus Siding is to the right of the train and Cliff Mine Road to the left. This bridge was about half way along the siding. Gene P. Schaeffer photo
A westbound Montour train heads over the McDonald Viaduct, the
longest bridge on the railroad.
Gene P. Schaeffer photo
Erected by Montour
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 2010.
Location. 40° 17.86′ N, 80° 6.542′ W. Marker is near Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, in Washington County. It is in Peters Township. It is on T.A.R. Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 107 Valley Brook Rd, Canonsburg PA 15317, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Pittsburgh. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: X1 Railroad Crane (here, next to this marker); Milepost 32 - Signal Board (here, next to this marker); Montour Mine No. 4
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 30, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 349 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 30, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
