Train bridge over the Caney Fork River which is on the border of Warren and White county. At this spot, the street forms a bridge over the tracks creating this vantage point. The tracks are live and today used by the short line Caney Fork & Western Railroad.
This wonderful example of a pin-connected Warren truss railroad bridge is an extremely rare example of a pre-("Civil") war iron bridge.
ReplyDeleteIt was built for the Memphis & Charleston RR. It is on a branch line from McMinnville to Sparta, Tennessee. This line is accessed from the (former) M&C RR by the CSX/L&N/NC&StL.
The CF&W RR cannot afford to maintain this rare antique bridge beyond a bare minimum necessary to keep it usable. It badly needs full stripping, derusting and painting, like many bridges even on major main line RRs.
A cut stone plaque is inset into the pier on the Rock Island/south shore of the Caney Fork River that gives the RR officers and the builders and erectors of the bridge and stonework.
This bridge was raised 35 feet in 1924 when the 1916 dam was increased in height.
A panoramic view is available on Street View from the Sparta highway bridge.