Niagara Cantilever Bridge | |
|---|---|
 1895 guidebook engraving | |
| Coordinates | 43°06′29″N79°03′31″W / 43.108135°N 79.058604°W /43.108135; -79.058604 |
| Carries | Michigan Central Railway/Canada Southern Railway and successors |
| Crosses | Niagara Gorge |
| Locale | Niagara Falls,New York, andNiagara Falls, |
| Official name | Michigan Central Railway Cantilever Bridge |
| Maintained by | Michigan Central Railway |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cantilever bridge |
| Total length | 906 ft (276 m) |
| Width | Doublestandard gauge (4 ft 8.5 in) track |
| Clearance above | Deck cantilever truss, unlimited clearance |
| Clearance below | appx 200 ft (60 m) above river |
| History | |
| Opened | 1883 |
| Closed | 1925 |
| Location | |
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TheNiagara Cantilever Bridge orMichigan Central Railway Cantilever Bridge was acantilever bridge across theNiagara Gorge. An internationalrailway-only bridge betweenCanada and theUnited States, it connectedNiagara Falls,New York, andNiagara Falls,Ontario. It was replaced by theMichigan Central Railway Steel Arch Bridge in 1925.
Michigan Central Railway commissioned the Niagara Cantilever Bridge as a more cost effective alternative to leasing from theLower Arch Bridge.[1]Charles Conrad Schneider, the architect, chose a cantilever design due to the geography of theNiagara Gorge.[2] Construction began in 1883.Boston cement was used for the foundation.[1] The bridge was completed within months as a deadline was imposed by the railway: the steel sections gained approximately 3.8 meters each day and the central section was built in a total of five days.[3] When the bridge was finished, a crowd watched the final tests conducted by engineers and this was reported on byThe New York Times.[4] The bridge could handle two trains crossing simultaneously.[5] The Niagara Cantilever Bridge became less useful as locomotives became heavier. Another steel arch was added in 1923 as an intermediate measure, with plans to replace the bridge entirely. When deconstructing the bridge, significant damage to the girders were noted, and the materials were scrapped.[4]
