Columbia Railroad Bridge, Railway and arch bridge in Philadelphia, United States
The Columbia Railroad Bridge is a railway structure made of concrete arches that crosses the Schuylkill River. It carries two active rail lines for freight transportation and links different parts of the city together.
The bridge opened in 1921 and replaced an earlier covered bridge from 1834 that was built for the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad. It represents the third structure to span this location.
The bridge sits in an area where the Schuylkill River is central to local sport and recreation, particularly rowing. From nearby vantage points, people gather to watch water activities that make this waterway a focus of community life.
The bridge is actively in use and can be viewed best from ground level since it is only accessible for railway traffic. Visitors can see it from the riverside paths that run along the Schuylkill River nearby.
The bridge was originally designed with four railway tracks, but only two are used today. This reduction shows how rail traffic patterns have changed in the region over the decades.
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