{"id":5384,"date":"2014-02-10T05:23:33","date_gmt":"2014-02-10T10:23:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/?p=5384"},"modified":"2014-02-10T08:18:49","modified_gmt":"2014-02-10T13:18:49","slug":"daily-post-former-pennsy-viaduct-at-crum-creek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/daily-post-former-pennsy-viaduct-at-crum-creek\/","title":{"rendered":"DAILY Post: Former Pennsy Viaduct at Crum Creek."},"content":{"rendered":"


\nUnsung Pennsylvania Bridge<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0On a recent ride out to Elwyn on a SEPTA suburban train, my brother Sean and I noted several large viaducts on this former Pennsylvania Railroad route.<\/p>\n

The Elwyn route is one of several SEPTA lines that has been under threat of closure. The bridges on the route have been reported to be suffering from deferred maintenance which has made them candidates for replacement.<\/p>\n

\"SEPTA's<\/a>
SEPTA’s Crum Creek viaduct. Exposed with a Lumix LX3.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This bridge piqued our curiosity. So on Monday, January 20, 2014 we decided to investigate the Crum Creek Viaduct which is easily accessed via The Scott Arboretum trails (near Swarthmore College).<\/p>\n

An \u00a0impressive viaduct, it spans the heavily wooded Crum Creek valley, looming above the tree tops like an ancient relic of another age. It reminded me of Milwaukee Road\u2019s trestles on St Paul Pass in the Bitteroot Mountains of the Idaho panhandle.<\/p>\n

This is a double-track tower-supported plate girder viaduct, of the type of construction common to many late-19th<\/sup> and early 20th<\/sup> century railway bridges. It dates to the mid-1890s.<\/p>\n

\"SEPTA's<\/a>
SEPTA’s Crum Creek viaduct. Exposed with a Lumix LX3.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Photographically, the Crum Creek viaduct presents a challenge. The surrounding trees tend to obscure the bridge. While the most graphic images of the bridge are made near is base, yet working close to the bridge makes it difficult to adequately capture a train crossing the bridge. As we moved further away both train and structure tend to blend with the forest.<\/p>\n

Since this bridge is in jeopardy of either replacement or abandonment, I thought it a worthy project to photograph it as functioning infrastructure. I tried panning an outbound train in an effort to show a train on the bridge.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
An inbound SEPTA multiple unit rumbles across the Crum Creek Viaduct on January 20, 2014. Canon EOS 7D photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pan<\/a>
Pan of an outbound SEPTA train crossing the Crum Creek Viaduct on January 20, 2014.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Crum_Creek_Bridge_SEPTA_Pan_3_IMG_1009\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What will become of this bridge? Will it be restored, abandoned or replaced?<\/p>\n

Below are some recent links that make references to the viaduct.<\/p>\n

See: http:\/\/www.ascgroup.net\/projects\/crum-creek-viaduct-swarthmore-borough-nether-providence-township-delaware-county-pa.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/cait.rutgers.edu\/system\/files\/u10\/Knueppel_–SEPTA_SGR_Presentation.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

www.scottarboretum.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Please spread the word and share\u00a0Tracking the Light<\/a>\u00a0with anyone who may enjoy seeing it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tracking the Light\u00a0posts new material\u00a0every\u00a0morning.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/<\/a><\/p>\n

See related posts:\u00a0\u00a0Exploring SEPTA<\/a>,\u00a0Take a Ride on the Reading<\/a>,\u00a0Philadelphia\u2019s Reading Terminal Revisited<\/a><\/p>\n

Interested in railroad bridges? See my book: North American Railroad Bridges<\/a><\/p>\n

Tomorrow Tracking the Light goes back to 1987! Don’t miss it!<\/p>\n

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