Skip to main content

American Ribblehead: The Starrucca Viaduct - Lanesboro, PA


Nestled in the scenic hills of northeast Pennsylvania, the Starrucca Viaduct is a 19th Century railroad bridge known for its historic design and its impressive longevity. Opened in 1848, it was known as the world's largest stone-arch railroad viaduct as it carried traffic along the original New York & Erie Railroad. It has been suggested that this bridge was the first in America to utilize structural concrete in its construction, the material being utilized for the bridge’s foundations. In the mid-1800s, concrete was still an unknown quantity as a material and it was still considered to be experimental in nature at the time, making its use at this location a daring yet critical first step in the material’s evolution into a building block that modern construction could never be without.

This bridge’s size and design anticipated the construction of a more-famous stone arch railroad bridge built about 25 years later in England. The Ribblehead Viaduct in North Yorkshire, England is one of the most popular historic bridges for enthusiasts alike and its own proportions were likely inspired at least in part by its American counterpart here in Pennsylvania. As a result, the Starrucca Viaduct is sometimes known as the “American Ribblehead”, as it comes the closest to resembling its English rival in size and form. As for this structure, it spans the wide Starrucca Creek Valley, requiring a span of about a thousand feet in length. The whole structure above ground was build of locally-quarried ashlar bluestone and the entire project was put together in about one year – an impressive timeline for a structure of its kind. It measures 1,040 ft in length, stands (on average) about 100 ft tall, and consists of seventeen arch spans each measuring 50 ft long. While build wide enough for a dual-track deck layout, it has spent most of its life as a single-track crossing that has been structurally reinforced and upgraded in a subtle manner over the years.

Above: A few ground-level views of the Viaduct, including a couple historic markers nearby

The Viaduct remains in active use today (owned by the Delaware-Otsego Corporation and operated by the New York, Susquehanna, & Western Railway on its Port Jervis to Binghamton service), more than 150 years after its construction, making it one of the oldest active railroad bridges in the nation. The American Society of Civil Engineers recognizes the historic significance of its design & construction with its designation as a National Civil Engineering Landmark, in addition to its place on the National Register of Historic Places.

Most people have no problem taking in the sight of this structure from ground level, but back in mid-2020 I had the opportunity to go one step further and see what it looks like from the air; this was a great location for a quick workout session with my quadcopter drone – the perspectives you get from the air add a whole new dimension to our understanding of this bridge’s proportions and its place within the scenic surrounding valley. If you’re ever in the area, or “just passing through” (as my podcasting alter ego would say), this one is worth stopping by to check out – it’s a rare American example of the stone arch design taken to greater lengths. It can be reached from Interstate 81 by taking Exit 230 and following PA 171 about 10 miles east, passing through the village of Susquehanna (along the river of same name) in the process. Who knows, if you end up visiting, maybe you’ll run in to me – I hope to come back here at some point to add to my portfolio at this location…


Above: Various aerial views of the Viaduct courtesy of my quadcopter drone. If you do bring a drone here, please be safe and fly responsibly!

How to Get There:

More information from ASCE website

More information from Pennsylvania Center for the Book website


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains

US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso, Texas and Carlsbad, New Mexico passes through the Guadalupe Mountains.  The Guadalupe Mountains comprise the highest peaks of Texas which are largely protected as part Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  The automotive highway through the Guadalupe Mountains was constructed in the late 1920s as part of Texas State Road 54.  US Route 62 was extended from Carlsbad through the Guadalupe Mountains to El Paso during 1932.  US Route 62 was joined in the Guadalupe Mountains by US Route 180 in 1943.  The Guadalupe Mountains comprise a portion of the 130 mile "No Services" zone on US Route 62/US Route 180 between El Paso-Carlsbad. Part 1; the history of US Route 62 and US Route 180 in the Guadalupe Mountains The Guadalupe Mountains lie within the states of Texas and New Mexico.  The Guadalupe Mountains essentially is a southern extension of the larger Rocky Mountains.  The Guadalupe Mountains is the highest range in Texas with the peak elevati

Paper Highways; unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz

This edition of Paper Highways examines the unbuilt California State Route 100 in Santa Cruz. The History of Unbuilt California State Route 100 The route that became CA 100 was added to the State Inventory in 1959 as part of the Freeway & Expressway System as Legislative Route 287 .  According to CAhighways.org the initial definition of LRN 287 had it begin at LRN 5 (CA 17) and was defined over the below alignment to LRN 56 (CA 1) through downtown Santa Cruz. -  Ocean Street -  2nd Street -  Chestnut Street For context the above alignment would required tearing down a large part of the densely populated Santa Cruz.  A modern Google imagine immediately reveals how crazy an alignment following Ocean Street, 2nd Street, and Chestnut Street would have been. LRN 287 first appears on the 1960 Division of Highways State Map . In 1961 the definition of LRN 287 was generalized to; from LRN 5 via the beach area in Santa Cruz to LRN 56 west of the San Lorenzo River. 

New Mexico State Road 7 (Carlsbad Caverns Highway)

New Mexico State Road 7 is approximately a seven-mile highway in the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County. New Mexico State Road 7 connects US Route 62/US Route 180 at Whites City to the visitor center of Carlsbad Caverns National Park via Walnut Canyon. The so-called Carlsbad Caverns Highway to the National Park visitor center complex was constructed following the designation of the namesake National Monument in 1923. The current iteration of New Mexico State Road 7 was designated by the New Mexico State Highway Commission during June 1929. A proposal once was once floated to connect New Mexico State Road 7 to a cavern drive which would have been blasted into Big Room. Part 1; the history of New Mexico State Road 7 What are now Carlsbad Caverns was explored in the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County by local Jim White during 1898.  White explored the caverns via a homemade ladder and named several of the more notable rooms.  The name "Carlsbad Caverns" was derived from the