Tuscarora Creek (Monocacy River) bridge


The Tuscarora Creek bridge is a single-span, steel, through-girder bridge with a floor beam/stringer system supporting a 12-inch thick concrete slab south of Walkersville, Maryland. Originally constructed by the Frederick and Pennsylvania Line Railroad Company in 1872. It was later rebuilt by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1907 as a thru girder concrete deck bridge using an older bridge from the Northern Central Railway. In 1915, the bridge was surveyed as part of the Interstate Commerce Commission's effort to establish freight rates for the Parent railroad.
As of 2013, the bridge is in active rail service, operated by the Walkersville Southern RR.

History

Construction

Bollman Iron Bridge

The original plan for the railroad called for it to cross the Monocacy River below Tuscarora Creek and therefore, no bridge was located by Gitt in 1867. The finalized location for the railroad called for a bridge over Tuscarora Creek approximately 300 feet south of the Monocacy river crossing for the road. Like the other bridges on the road, the Tuscarora Creek bridge was to be a "Bollman suspension truss" with a creek span of 63 feet, 10 feet above water. In 1872, Bollman's firm, Patapsco Bridge and Iron Works completed the bridge.

Pennsylvania Railroad Rebuilds

The ICC survey work papers indicate one rebuild after the 1872 construction but prior to the 1915 inspection:
No later rebuild by PRR was made after 1927 and prior to 1982 when the bridge was conveyed to the State of Maryland..

United States Railway Administration (USRA) Rebuild

There is no evidence of a rebuild by the USRA.

State Railroad Administration (SRA 1982-1989)

Subsequent to the conveyance of the railroad from Conrail to the State of Maryland in 1982, State Railroad Administration developed a Maryland State Rail Plan.
The plan called for no action on Tuscarora Creek bridge. Currently, the Maryland Dept. of Transportation owns the bridge.