Truss Bridges
Truss Bridges
These are bridges in which the roadway or railroad is held up by a cage-like structure of dozens of smaller steel (or iron) members instead of a few heavy beams. This page contains links to a few truss bridges I have visited in North Carolina and elsewhere.
North Carolina
The Coastal Plain
- The 6th Street Bridge -- A robust Pratt truss built in 1911 that is an historic piece of downtown Wilmington's railroad past.
- Bladen County Bridge No. 12 -- Also known is the NC 11 truss bridge, this rusting landmark towers over the Cape Fear River.
- Cape Fear Memorial Bridge -- A vertical lift bridge with a Warren truss main span, the longest bridge span in NC.
- Hilton Railroad Bridge -- Located in Wilmington, NC, this is a Warren truss bascule bridge that remains open most of the time.
- Surf City Swing Bridge -- Crossing over the Intracoastal Waterway, this is one of the few remaining truss swing bridges in North Carolina.
- Tar Heel Ferry Road Bridge -- an imposing Pennsylvania truss over the Cape Fear that is the longest fixed span in the state.
The Piedmont
- Cumnock Railroad Bridges -- Two Warren through truss bridges that have some interesting design characteristics.
- Deep River Camelback Truss Bridge -- Featuring an uncommon truss configuration, this bridge is now the centerpiece of a county park.
- Durham County Bridge No. 28 -- A rare multi-span Warren Pony truss bridge that was left standing when its replacement was built.
- NC 87 & 100 Railroad Overpass -- Built in 1938, this is a stout overpass built to cross a road at an angle.
- Person County Bridge No. 35 -- A Pratt pony truss that has been bypassed and nearly become one with the forest.
- Rocky River Truss Bridge -- A pin-connected Pratt truss that still carries traffic on a quiet Chatham County back road.
- Whitney Railroad Bridge -- A 1910 Warren truss bridge over the Yadkin which was original to the rail line.