N&W in 1911--Kenova bridge

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
March 4, 1911

WORK BEGUN ON THE NEW KENOVA BRIDGE
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One Thousand Men Are Rushing Two Million Dollar Project to Completion
    What about Kenova now?  One thousand men are employed on rebuilding [sic] the big bridge that is to replace the old structure across the Ohio.
    There are scores of pile drivers and steam shovels and concrete mixing machines at work enlarging the various abutments and solidifying the foundations for the new tracks approaching the bridge, which will be double track across the river and for a long distance on either side of the stream.
    One million feet of lumber has been ordered to be used in the great double track bridge, and this is being delivered on the ground at points convenient to the gigantic structure that is to be.
    The bridge will cost complete $2,000,000 and it is conceded that 1,000 men will be employed for practically two years in order to complete the work.
    The majority of these will be practical bridge builders, drawing high wages.  The remainder will be of the class which come under the head of well paid labor.
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[The original thru truss bridge of 1892 was built wide enough for two tracks, but only one track was installed (actually a gauntlet track was installed when the approaches to the bridge were later double tracked).  By the time traffic dictated a second track on the bridge, locomotives and cars had become too heavy for two tracks on the original bridge structure, and it was deemed more economical to build a new bridge instead of strengthening the old one.  The new truss bridge was built around the old truss bridge, but the old piers were retained, although shortened to accommodate the heaver members of the new bridge while keeping the rail at the same level as previously.  For more details on the bridge replacement, see the interesting article in Railway Age Gazette, Vol. 55, Sep. 5, 1913, p. 407, at Google Books.]


Gordon Hamilton
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