Canton Viaduct is a distinctive stone railroad bridge in
Canton, MassachusettsCanton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 20,775 at the 2000 census. Canton is part of Greater Boston, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Boston.- History :...
(USA) erected in 1835 by the Boston and Providence Railroad Corporation (B&P) 0.3 mile (0.5 km) south of
Canton JunctionCanton Junction is a railway station on the MBTA Commuter Rail's Providence/Stoughton line, located a few hundred yards north of the Canton Viaduct...
for their mainline service between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. It was the final link to be built on the 41 mile railroad between the two cities, and is the only structural
Blind ArcadeBlind Arcade — is an arcade that is composed of a series of arches that has no actual openings and that is applied to the surface of a wall as a decorative element: i.e. the arches are not windows or openings but are part of the masonry face. It is designed as an ornamental architectural element,...
viaductA viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
ever built in the United States. It was the longest bridge in the nation when it was built and second only to London Bridge in the world. It is the oldest surviving stone railroad bridge in New England and has been in continuous service for years; it now carries high-speed passenger and freight rail service. The Viaduct is located on
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a blend of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union Station...
's
Northeast CorridorThe Northeast Corridor is the busiest passenger rail line in the United States by ridership and service frequency. The route is fully electrified and serves a densely urbanized string of cities from Washington, D.C., in the south through Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, Newark, New...
at milepost 213.74, reckoned from Pennsylvania Station in New York City, and at the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation AuthorityThe Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is "a body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
's (MBTA) milepost 15.35, reckoned from South Station in Boston.
Inception
The Canton Viaduct was erected in 1835 by the B&P, one of the first New England railroads, shortly after its 1831 founding. Without the influence of
Joseph Warren RevereJoseph Warren Revere was the cofounder of the Revere Copper Company in Canton, Massachusetts in 1801 with his father, Paul Revere, becoming president of the company when his father retired in 1811. He was largely responsible for the success of the business, where he pioneered the technique of...
, owner of the
Revere Copper CompanyThe Revere Copper Company was North America's first rolled copper mill. It was started by Paul Revere in 1801 in Canton, Massachusetts and developed a commercially viable process for manufacturing copper sheets....
a major stockholder of the B&P and a member of its Board of Directors, the Canton Viaduct would not have been built. There were better routes through other towns for the location of the railroad line from Boston to Providence. However, building the railroad through Canton placed the line close to Revere's mill, where a spur connected the mill to Canton Junction and undoubtedly gave a boost to Revere's copper business. The other influencing factor that caused the Canton Viaduct to be built was a fatal accident in 1832 on the Granite Railroad, which used inclined planes to cross a valley. The original plans called for the use of inclined planes to cross the Canton River Valley but were changed after the inclined plane accident and a bridge was built instead. This unique bridge was designed by two US Army Corps of Engineers officers - Captain
William Gibbs McNeill and Major
George Washington WhistlerGeorge Washington Whistler was a prominent American railroad engineer in the first half of the 19th century....
both were West Point graduates, topographical engineers and brothers-in-law. The bridge was built by
Dodd & BaldwinDodd & Baldwin constructed the Canton Viaduct in 1834-1835 for the Boston & Providence Railroad Corporation. The Pennsylvania firm was established by cousins Ira Dodd and Caleb Dodd Baldwin....
(Pennsylvania). Around this time Russia was interested in building railroads so Tsar Nicholas I sent workmen to draw extensive diagrams of the Canton Viaduct. He later summoned Whistler to Russia as a consulting engineer to design the Moscow–Saint Petersburg Railway, on which two bridges were modeled after the Canton Viaduct. A scale model bridge of similar design is on display at the Oktyabrsky Railroad Museum in St. Petersburg.
Classification
The bridge resembles a giant,
rusticatedthumb|250px|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].Rustication is an architectural term that contrasts with ashlar, smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces...
stone wall supporting a train deck about above the
Canton RiverThe Canton River cuts through downtown Canton, Massachusetts tracing down Washington and Neponset Streets , and continues down Walpole Street, and is a tributary of the Neponset River, with a few tributaries on the side. It is also called the East Branch [of the] Neponset River....
, the east branch (tributary) of the
Neponset RiverThe Neponset River is a river in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The headwaters of the Neponset are at the Neponset Reservoir in Foxborough, near the Gillette Stadium...
. The
stream poolA stream pool, in hydrology, is a stretch of a river or creek in which the water depth is above average and the stream velocity is quite low. Such pools can be important for juvenile fish habitat, especially where many stream reaches attain high summer temperatures and very low flow dry season...
passes through six semi-circular
archAn arch is a structure that spans a space while supporting weight . Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-History:Arches...
es in the bridge, flowing to a waterfall about 50 feet downstream. The
copingCoping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
is supported by 42 segmental arches (21 on each side) that join the tops of 44
buttressA buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es (22 on each side) tied to the walls internally and externally. The viaduct is an archetype in bridge design due to its two parallel walls and hollow interior chambers, the walls are five feet thick with a four foot gap between them joined with occasional
tie stones. More construction details are available in the original specifications. The structure is often identified as a "multiple arch" bridge because the deck arches appear to extend through the bridge to the deck arches on the opposite side, which they do not; each independent deck arch is only four feet deep. The only arches to penetrate the walls are six river arches and two roadway arches. Since bridges are classified by their support system, the Canton Viaduct is more accurately described as a double Blind Arcade viaduct - deck arches support the outer limits of the deck (beyond the walls) and walls support the middle of the deck with stone slabs spanning the chambers; neither the deck arches nor buttresses penetrate the continuous walls. When the bridge had a single set of tracks the rails were placed direclty over the walls as the chamber width is less than
standard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used rail gauge. Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. When the bridge was double tracked in 1860 both sets of rails were placed directly over the walls and deck archs. The
Thomas ViaductThe Thomas Viaduct spans the Patapsco River and Patapsco Valley between Relay and Elkridge, Maryland, USA.Building of the bridge commenced on July 4, 1833, and was completed on July 4, 1835, it is the first multi-span masonry railroad bridge in the United States and the first to be built on a...
(Maryland, 1835) and
Starrucca ViaductStarrucca Viaduct is a stone arch bridge that spans Starrucca Creek near Lanesboro, Pennsylvania, in the United States. At the time of its construction, the bridge was thought to be the most expensive railway bridge in the world, at a cost of $320,000, and it was the largest stone rail viaduct in...
(Pennsylvania, 1847) are examples of true multiple arch viaducts, with semi-circular arches supported by piers, and no continuous walls.
Materials
The Canton Viaduct contained 14,483 cubic feet (15,800
perchesA perch is as a unit of measurement used for length, area, and volume in a number of different systems of measurement. Its name derives from the Ancient Roman unit, the pertica.-Origin:...
) of granite, which weighs approximately prior to its concrete redecking in 1993. Each stone has a
Mason's markA mason's mark is a symbol often found on dressed stone in buildings and other public structures. Scottish rules issued in 1598 stated that on admission to the guild, every mason had to enter his name and his mark in a register....
to identify who cut the stone. The wall rows are approximately 16" high and laid in a pattern closely resembling a
Flemish bondBrickwork masonry is produced when a bricklayer uses bricks and mortar to build up structures such as walls, bridges and chimneys. Brickwork is also used to finish openings such as doors or windows in buildings made of other materials...
. The wall facing stone, exterior buttresses,
wing wall-Bridges:In a bridge, the wing walls are adjacent to the abutments and act as retaining walls. The wing walls can either be attached to the abutment or be independent of it....
abutmentAn abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet.Specifically, an abutment may be:* the part of a structure that supports an arch.* the tooth or teeth that support a fixed or removable bridge....
s, arches, coping and parapets are
riebeckiteRiebeckite is a sodium-rich member of the amphibole group of minerals, chemical formula Na25Si8O222. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system, usually as long prismatic crystals showing a diamond-shaped cross section, but also in fibrous,...
granite from Moyles quarry (a.k.a. Canton Viaduct Quarry), now part of
Borderland State ParkBorderland is one of Massachusetts' state parks, located in the towns of Easton and Sharon. The main entrance and visitor center are located in Easton. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Borderland Historic District in 1997.In 1906, Oakes Ames, a Harvard botanist...
in Sharon, Massachusetts. This type of granite was chosen because it does not stain as it weathers, but retains its original color. The foundation, wall backing stone, stone binders and stiles, interior buttresses, deck stones and the cornerstone are of a different type of granite from Dunbar's quarry in Canton, Massachusetts.
Location
The majority of the viaduct is over land (71%), while 29% is over water. In addition to the six river arches, one roadway arch was originally provided; the distance between the buttresses at this section is wider than all the other sections of the bridge. The overall length is , built on one
degree of curvatureDegree of curve or degree of curvature is a measure of curvature used in civil engineering for its easy use in layout surveying.A n-degree curve turns n degrees over some agreed-upon distance...
which makes the east wall slightly longer than the west wall. Originally unnamed, it was referred to as "the stone bridge" and "the viaduct at Canton" before it was eventually named after the town. In 1786 the way leading from the Stone Factory Village to Washington Street under the viaduct was called Billings Lane, after William Billings II. In 1790 Billings Lane became known as "Ye Road from Ye Schoolhouse on Taunton Road to Ye Old Forge". The road under the viaduct was eventually named Neponset Street after a local Indian tribe; it serves as a major artery in Canton connecting its main street (Washington Street) to
Interstate 95Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in...
.
Construction
The Canton Viaduct cost US$93,000 to build in 1835, which equates to $2.4 million in 2009 dollars. Construction took 15 months, 8 days from laying of the foundation stone on April 20, 1834 to completion on July 28, 1835. An excerpt from an article in the
Providence Journal on June 6, 1835 describes the bridge prior to its completion. The first and last buttresses (adjacent to the wing wall abutments) are half the width of all other buttresses. The wing wall abutments are 25' wide where they meet the bridge; they increase in width and decrease in height as they as they spread out in a 90 degree arc (quarter circle); they were built by
William OtisWilliam Otis was an American inventor of the steam shovel. Otis received a patent for his creation on February 24, 1839.In 1839, Mr. William Smith Otis, civil engineer of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was issued a U.S. patent for the steam shovel for excavating and removing earth from railroads or...
using his first
steam shovelA steam shovel is a large steam-powered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving material such as rock and soil. It is the earliest type of power shovel.-Origins and development:...
. The two major groups of men who built the Canton Viaduct were Scottish and Irish. Both groups were
Operative FreemasonsFreemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around 5 million, including just under two million in the United States and around 480,000 in...
, most likely belonging to the Rising Star Masonic Lodge in Stoughton, MA. The Scottish workers were
stone cutters and masonsThe craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
, while the Irish workers laid the rough stone and built the gravel roadbed.
The bridge was 'substantially complete' in June 1835 from various accounts of horse-drawn cars passing over it at that time. Charlie, the old white horse who had hauled the flat car between the viaduct and Sharon, Massachusetts, was placed upon the flat car and hauled across the viaduct by the workers, thus becoming the first 'passenger' to cross the structure.
Sequence
The Canton Viaduct was constructed in the following sequence:
- Planning - design and specifications (McNeill and Whistler)
- Preconstruction - site preparation, mobilization, surveying, excavation and cofferdam
A cofferdam is an enclosure within a water environment constructed to allow water to be displaced by air for the purpose of creating a dry work environment. Commonly used for oil rig construction and repair, bridge and dam work, the cofferdam is usually a welded steel structure that is temporary,...
s (unknown)
- Construction -
- Wing wall abutments - foundations and walls (Otis)
- Temporary train platforms and embankment staircases at abutments (B&P)
- Bridge (Dodd & Baldwin):
- Foundations - the foundation stone was the first stone to be laid in the bridge on April 20, 1834 (northeast corner) during the foundation stone ceremony
- Continuous walls and buttresses
- Deck arches
- Spandrel
A spandrel is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure.There are four or five accepted and cognate meanings of spandrel in architectural and art history, mostly relating to the space between a curved figure and a rectangular boundary - such as the space between...
s
- Deck (with longitudinal troughs) and coping
- Parapets - the cornerstone was the final stone to be laid in the bridge (southwest end) during the cornerstone ceremony
- Post Construction (B&P) -
- Track installation: longitudinal sleepers, cross ties, track and ballast, the first 'passenger' was Charlie the workhorse
- Site clean up and demobilization
- Opening ceremony: July 28, 1835. The first train, "Whistler" passed over the Canton Viaduct at approximately 5:00 PM EST.
Foundation stone
The foundation stone was laid on Sunday April 20, 1834 with a Masonic foundation stone ceremony to give the structure a "soul" and ensure its stability. According to Masonic tradition, foundation stones are located in the northeast corner of structures with inscriptions such as the Masonic emblem (
square and compassesThe Square and Compasses is the single most identifiable symbol of Freemasonry. Both the square and compasses are architect's tools, and are used in Masonic ritual as emblems to teach symbolic lessons...
) and the date; it would also contain a
time capsuleA time capsule is a historic cache of goods and/or information, usually intended as a method of communication with people in the future. Time capsules are sometimes created and buried during celebrations such as a World Fair, cornerstone laying for a building, or at other events...
.
Cornerstone
Operative Freemason's laid the
cornerstoneThe cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
(the final stone in the structure) in the south end of the west
parapetA parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. According to Masonic tradition this location was selected due to it being the farthest distance from the foundation stone located in the northeast corner. There are no Mason's marks on the front, back or sides of the cornerstone but there may be some on the other surfaces.
The cornerstone is actually two stones now held together with two iron straps on each side; the overall dimensions are 5' long x 3' high x 18" wide and the weight is 3,780 lbs. The cornerstone was about 2" taller than it is today, due to its breaking in 1860; the damage obscured two directors' names, W. W. Woolsey and P. T. Jackson. Woolsey was also a Director of the Boston and Providence Railroad and Transportation Company (
B&P RR&T Co.) in Rhode Island (incorporated May 10, 1834) which owned the Rhode Island portion of the Boston and Providence rail line. The B&P RR&T Co. merged with the B&P RR Corp. on June 1, 1853.
Railroad track
During the 1993 deck renovation two 18" deep troughs were discovered recessed into the granite capstones running the entire length of the viaduct spaced at
standard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used rail gauge. Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
width (56-1/2"). The troughs contained
baulksBaulk road is the name given to a type of railway track or 'rail road' that is formed using rails carried on continuous timber bearings, as opposed to the more familiar 'cross-sleeper' track that uses closely spaced sleepers or ties to give intermittent support to taller rails...
or longitudinal sleepers and were part of the original construction although they were not mentioned in the construction specifications. The baulks were used to support the rails directly or to anchor cross ties, but (due to the troughs) neither application would have required
track ballastTrack ballast forms the trackbed upon which railway sleepers or railroad ties are laid. It is packed between, below, and around the ties. It is used to facilitate drainage of water, to distribute the load from the railroad ties, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track...
, which is used to facilitate drainage, distribute load, control vegetation and hold the track in place. An early report states, "The top of the viaduct was rounded by ballast and the rails were placed on the crown". A 1910 photo taken atop the viaduct shows dirt between the cross ties and tracks, so this material may have been used before traditional gravel ballast.
Baulks were used to support strap rails or bridge rail; these
early railsThe rail profile is the cross sectional shape of a railway rail, perpendicular to the length of the rail.In all but very early cast rails a rail is hot rolled steel profile of a specific shape or cross section designed for use as the fundamental component of railway track.Unlike some other uses of...
would have been replaced with flanged T-rails by 1840. It is unknown if baulks were used throughout the railroad, but photos appear to show baulks at Canton Junction in 1871. An 1829 report from the Massachusetts Board of Directors of Internal Improvements describes how the railroad from Boston to Providence was to be built. The report states, "It consists of one pair of tracks composed of long blocks of granite, about one foot square, resting upon a foundation wall extending to the depth of 2-1/2' below the surface of the ground, and 2' wide at the bottom". It seems clear from the estimate that baulks were originally to be used throughout the railroad; however, railroad construction methods were developing rapidly at this time, so when the railroad was built two years later a more modern method of track laying may have been used. This report also calls for using horse drawn wagons and carriages at 3 MPH on the rail line, not steam locomotives.
Waterway
Canton Viaduct waterfall - a.k.a. Spillway Dam, Factory Pond Dam and Woolen Mill Dam is actually a
weirA weir , also known as a lowhead dam, is a small overflow-type dam commonly used to raise the level of a river or stream. Weirs have traditionally been used to create mill ponds in such places. Water flows over the top of a weir, although some weirs have sluice gates which release water at a level...
or lowhead dam. A report states the 16' high by 90' long granite dam was built in 1900, but it was actually built sometime earlier than the Canton Viaduct. Water power was supplied to nearby businesses via
water wheelA water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of flowing or falling water into useful forms of power, the development of hydropower. In the Middle Ages, waterwheels were used as tools to power factories throughout different counties. The alternatives were the windmill and human and animal...
from the canal starting at the waterfall's enclosed
plunge poolA plunge pool, also known as a waterfall lake, is a pool, lake, or pond that is small in diameter, but deep. Plunge pools are formed under the force of a vertical displacement of water, for example a waterfall or rapids. The swirling water, sometimes carrying rocks within it, erodes the riverbed...
and continuing about 200' under the Neponset St. bridge. There were also two channels located between the viaduct and the waterfall (one on each side) referred to as
sluiceA sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
s, headraces and
flumeA flume is an open artificial water channel, in the form of a gravity chute, that leads water from a diversion dam or weir completely aside a natural flow. Often, the flume is an elevated box structure that follows the natural contours of the land. These have been extensively used in hydraulic...
s in various maps; they were filled in sometime after 1937.
USACOEThe United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
NID No. MA03106
Renovations and repairs
(photos)
- 1860 - 25 years after its construction the increased traffic between Boston and Providence made the need for double tracking necessary. The roadbed was built wide enough to accommodate two sets of tracks, but only one set was originally installed. To accommodate the second track the 3'-8" high x 18" wide granite parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
s were removed; the cornerstone was tossed off the viaduct and lay broken in a field for 18 years. The cornerstone was the last known remnant of the parapets; it is not known if any stones fell into the river during this renovation. These stones may have been used in railroad projects or as mile markers or building foundations and walls in Canton. The granite parapets were replaced with a heavy wooden fence fastened to transverse wooden floor beams; a hard pine timber guard rail was bolted to the tops of the walls to retain the new ballast. The deck troughs and baulks were abandoned at this time and the troughs were filled in with stone. The timber approach structures would have been removed at this time to accommodate the double tracking.
- 1878 - The wooden fence was removed and replaced with a heavy cantilever
A cantilever is a beam supported on only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
ed iron fence from the Edgemoor Iron Company for $12,000. The new fence also used transverse floor beams (but made from iron) and the ends of the fence were flared to guide trains on to the bridge if they derailed before reaching it. The cornerstone was repaired by squaring off the broken stones and adding iron straps to hold it together, it was then raised to the top of the viaduct at the opposite (north) end facing east.
- 1887 - Safety tracks are placed on the viaduct on April 15 to prevent a derailed train from hitting a passing train and/or falling off the bridge. The addition of the safety tracks was in response to the recent disasters at White River Bridge and Bussey Bridge
The Forest Hills Disaster was a railroad bridge accident that occurred on March 14, 1887, in the Roslindale section of West Roxbury, Massachusetts, then a separate town from the City of Boston.A morning commuter train, inbound to Boston, was passing over the "Bussey Bridge", a Howe truss, at South...
. Many guard railIn railroad use, guard rails are placed parallel to regular running rail along areas of restrictive clearance, such as a bridge, trestle, or tunnel. these have the effect of keeping the wheels of rolling stock in alignment in case of derailment. It also helps to minimize damage to the structure and...
configurations have been used on the viaduct over the years.
- 1897 - This photo shows the mill pond water level lowered to expose the bridge foundations for workers to make repairs. Another photo shows missing foundation stones that were replaced and all joints were filled with waterproof cement.
- 1906 - Heavy timbers are supporting a work platform in this post card dated October, 15. Deck arch 13E is being repaired and suggests the deck arches were not strong enough to handle the ever-increasing loads or were deteriorating. This is the same arch that would later be opened to allow a second roadway passage in 1953.
- 1909 - A deck arch stone dropped out of place and the arch was badly cracked (the fourth arch east of the granite roadway arch); stonemasons began repairing it on Sunday, December 19. An article titled, "More Trouble with the Viaduct at Canton Junction" in the December 24 edition of the Canton Journal describes this as the second arch to have given way within a month. It is unknown if this "second arch" was a deck arch, the roadway arch or a river arch.
- 1910 - Reinforced concrete arches (42 total, 21 on each side) were added under each deck arch; the repairs took almost 2-1/2 years to complete. A report from this year may describe the first interior inspection.
- 1912 - An interior inspection occurred in late October; a large stone was removed to allow access and three platforms with ladders were erected inside to facilitate inspection of the walls and underside of the deck. There were no broken or cracked stones and all joints were still full of good hard mortar
Mortar is a workable paste used to bind construction blocks together and fill the gaps between them. The blocks may be stone, brick, cinder blocks, etc. Mortar becomes hard when it sets, resulting in a rigid aggregate structure. Modern mortars are typically made from a mixture of sand, a binder...
. A photo from the inspection shows the formation of stalactites under the deck indicating water penetration which may have caused the deck arch problems from freeze/thaw cycles resulting in frost disintegrationWeathering is the decomposition of Earth's rocks, soils and minerals through direct contact with the planet's atmosphere. Weathering occurs in situ, or "with no movement", and thus should not be confused with erosion, which involves the movement of rocks and minerals by agents such as water, ice,...
.
- 1914 - Four wooden "jump-out" platforms (approximately 6' long x 4' deep) were attached to the iron fence for workers to seek refuge upon when trains passed. The platforms were staggered every 154' and cantilevered over deck arches 5W, 9E, 13W and 17E. The jump-outs were installed after the death of Canton Junction section foreman, Wilbert H. Jerauld who was on the Viaduct when two trains converged and was unable to escape.
- 1953 - 118 years after its construction a concrete segmental roadway arch was cut next to the original roadway arch to accommodate northbound traffic on Neponset Street. The $40,000 renovation took place in March and the cost was split by the town of Canton and the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co. The interior of the chamber (arch 13) and foundations would have been inspected at this time.
- 1963 - After years of Canton River flooding, the Army Corps of Engineers built the Canton Local Protection Project. The project's main purpose was to protect businesses along the river and prevent scouring of the viaduct's foundations during flood season and hurricanes as seen here during the Long Island Express hurricane of 1938.
- 1965 - A USCGS benchmark
The term benchmark originates from the chiseled horizontal marks that surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a leveling rod, thus ensuring that a leveling rod could be accurately repositioned in the same place in future...
(F31) was placed on the west side of the concrete roadway arch.
- 1993 - The MBTA and Amtrak rehabilitated the bridge for high-speed Acela Express
Acela Express is Amtrak's rail service that uses high-speed tilting trains. Acela operates along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York.The tilting design allows the train to travel at higher speeds on...
train service. The main objectives of this $10 Million dollar project were to widen (13' track centers) and strengthen the bridge with a new cantilevered, precast, prestressed concrete deck, replace the concrete deck arches and institute electrification via catenary linesOverhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
. Voltage for the 25 kV AC lines is provided by the electrical substation at the south end of the bridge. The original iron fence was also removed, refurbished, and attached to the new deck. The new deck was 8' wider, with 4' walkways on each side that eliminated the need for the jump-out platforms. The concrete roadway arch was refinished and the USCGS benchmark was replaced.
Project challenges - it was necessary to maintain the historic fabric of the structure so all work was consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for Treatment of Historic Structures. The viaduct is located within
Massachusetts DCR'sThe Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is best known for its parks and parkways, formerly belonging to the Metropolitan District Commission and the Department of Environmental Management . Under Governor Mitt Romney, the MDC and...
Fowl Meadow and Ponkapoag Bog ACEC(Map Tile 7g) so protecting endangered species in the nearby wildlife refuge presented a challenge. Working in and over the Canton River required extensive permitting and close monitoring by environmental watchdog groups. The project was also located in a designated
National Environmental Study Area.
An excerpt from the September 1998
Railway Track & Structures article reads, "It was initially believed that the top of the viaduct was composed of solid granite blocks (originally carrying a single track). After the track and ballast were removed from the structure, troughs were discovered recessed into the granite capstones. The 18" deep troughs ran the entire length of the viaduct and were spaced approximately 56-1/2" apart (standard railroad gauge). In some locations, the trough contained a solid piece of oak, including some abandoned spikes. It is believed the troughs held wooden sleepers for the original single track railroad. These loose materials were removed from the deck and lean concrete was placed to fill the voids. Archival photographs of the sleepers were taken and their remnants will be turned over to the local historical commission. At the approaches to the viaduct, a series of granite walls were uncovered running perpendicular to the tracks. These walls were approximately 7' on center and it was thought that they might have carried a timber approach structure. The locations of the walls conflicted with new abutments for the PPC beams and they made it difficult to install sheet piling for the contractor's support of excavation system. The walls were left in place undisturbed beneath the new track structure. HDR redesigned the abutments to minimize their depths, eliminate the conflicts and reduce the loading of the temporary support of excavation system."
When the railroad was complete, except for the viaduct trains ran to the bridge abutments where passengers would exit and descend the embankment. Passengers crossed the valley on horse drawn carriages, then crossed the river on a hand-operated
cable ferryA cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
, then ascended the embankment to board an awaiting train at the opposite abutment. The perpendicular walls may have supported temporary covered train platforms from which staircases would have extended to the valley floor. A
photo from 1871 may have captured one of these walls (bottom left) at the north end on the west side of the viaduct.
Many capstones were discarded during the deck replacement project; they were placed in the field behind the viaduct; some Canton residents recovered smaller stones from the massive pile before it was hauled off to an unknown destination. Portland Cement Association's
Historic Canton Viaduct case study has more project details.
- 1995 - Three interior inspections were performed in the winter by two structural engineers using rock climbing equipment to scale the interior walls. The inspectors noticed small, insignificant cracks in the walls and larger cracks in the deck stones that eventually lead to the deck being replaced. The stones of the viaduct were placed in such a way as to allow interior access at just three locations. Occasional tie stones connect the walls with some having large, loose stones placed on them, the purpose off which is unknown. The local film crew noticed rock crystal formation taking place, associated with the moist air inside and a rotting wooden platform. They also noticed some thin wood or iron pieces connecting the walls; it is unknown if these pieces or the platforms were used during construction or inspection. Stone stiles protrude into the airspace but do not reach the opposite side; it is presumed the stiles were used to support planks instead of traditional scaffolding
Scaffolding is a temporary frame used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. It is usually a modular system of metal pipes , although it can be made out of other materials...
due to the narrow space between the walls.
Proposed renovations
- In 1941 Canton's Town Planner proposed the addition of a roadway arch to match the semi-circular, granite roadway arch, two pedestrian arches (one next to each roadway arch) with sidewalks, and widening of the roadway. The road was widened and a concrete roadway arch was eventually built in 1953, but it was much smaller due to its segmental arch design and shorter width between buttresses. The pedestrian arches and sidewalks were not built.
- The 1993 renovation project included rebuilding the smaller roadway arch to match the semi-circular granite roadway arch, but it was not renovated.
Ownership
- 1834—1888, Boston and Providence Railroad Corp.
- 1888—1893, Old Colony Railroad Co.
- 1893—1969, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co.
- 1969—1973, Penn Central Transportation Co.
- 1973—present, MBTA
Critical infrastructure
- As World War I began, a detachment of the 9th Regiment National Guard arrived in April 1917 to guard the viaduct from sabotage, via sentry duty.
- During World War II Canton's Civil Defense Corps and railroad employees guarded the Canton Viaduct against sabotage since the train line was part of the direct link between Boston & New York. The structure is a critical transportation link between the two cities and had extra protection as a result.
- Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 the Canton Viaduct was guarded by various security entities until the U.S. threat level decreased.
- In a letter to Canton's Board of Selectmen on February 27, 2002, former Police Chief Peter Bright noted that Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is a Commonwealth of Massachusetts agency. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency is the Agency that coordinates Federal, State, local and private resources throughout the Commonwealth during times of disasters and emergencies.It is...
training for worst-case situations highlights the destruction of the Canton Viaduct for its disruption of the national railroad system; the Federal Government also considers the bridge a high-risk target.
Public safety
There are many safety issues with the Canton Viaduct and surrounding area:
- Sidewalks - Neponset is a major street in Canton and has 3' sidewalks except in the viaduct area. Pedestrian passage under the viaduct has always been a dangerous undertaking due to the narrow 12" sidewalk with no guardrails on the southbound lane and lack of any sidewalk on the northbound lane. This passage is not ADA
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is the short title of United States , codified at et seq. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009. The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits,...
compliant.
- Crosswalks - A northbound pedestrian must cross Neponset St. to access the sidewalk on the southbound lane, once through the bridge the pedestrian must cross the electrical substation road, Walpole St. and Neponset St. A southbound pedestrian must cross Walpole St. and the electrical substation road to reach the sidewalk. Many northbound pedestrians increase their risks by jumping into the road and running under the bridge rather than crossing Neponset St. to reach the narrow sidewalk on the south side. There are no crosswalks in the Canton Viaduct area to facilitate safe pedestrian road crossing.
- Lighting - Neponset St. has severe (90 degree) curves before and after the bridge, causing poor forward visibility especially at night due inadequate street lighting and lack of any bridge lighting.
- Signage - There is no signage in the area to warn drivers of the 90 degree curves before and after the bridge. There are no warning signs for drivers to be aware of pedestrians in the area or to slow down when approaching the bridge. The only speed limit sign (30 MPH) in the area is located between Canton Viaduct monument and the waterfall on the northbound lane of Neponset St., where drivers are traveling away from the bridge.
- Roadway - The speed limit is 30 MPH in this area and the road lanes narrow under the bridge, so there is no margin for error, especially when slippery road conditions exist, such as with rain, snow or ice. Four roads converge at the Canton Viaduct: Neponset St., Neponset Pl., Walpole St. and the electrical substation road. Also, the main entrance to a 56 unit condominium complex is located just north of the Neponset St. and Walpole St. convergence (directly across from Canton Viaduct monument), making this area the most complex intersection in town.
- Limited clearance - The smaller arch has been repeatedly struck by hundreds of large vehicles over the past 57 years causing damage to vehicles and the bridge. Drivers who do not heed the height limitation often get stuck under the viaduct, which causes major traffic delays while rescue crews extract the wedged vehicle from the arch. Despite these indirect collisions at the bridge's weakest point the viaduct remains unprotected.
The lack of sidewalks, crosswalks, signage and lighting, plus the narrow road and limited clearance make the Canton Viaduct a dangerous crossing for pedestrians and vehicles.
Other safety issues:
- Parking and visiting - All land surrounding the Canton Viaduct is owned by businesses or residents, there is no public land or public parking in the area. Parking on nearby streets or business parking lots is prohibited by law. The land on which Canton Viaduct Park is located is owned by the MBTA and is open to the public all year but it is only accessible by foot.
- Passing over - Although the new deck provides much needed safety improvements, with 4' walkways on each side, only railroad and public safety personnel are allowed to walk across the viaduct. Many believe it is safer to cross over the viaduct than under it.
- Utility bridge - Although it is a popular location for taking pictures of the viaduct, only utility and public safety personnel are allowed on the concrete utility bridge. Known as the "catwalk", this bridge crosses the Canton River about 100 yards east of the viaduct; it is only 12" wide, with no railings.
- Vandalism - The Canton Viaduct has been spray painted by vandals many times over the years. The most recent graffiti attack took place in April, 2009 as reported in the Canton Citizen.
- Watercraft - No boats of any kind are allowed in the area due to the narrow and low clearance of the river arches, the proximity of the waterfall and the potential for acts of terrorism.
- Fishing - Not allowed in the area due to years of contamination from industrial sites located adjacent to the Canton River.
The numerous safety issues and lack of any public land or parking in the area are key reasons why school field trips are prohibited and no visitors center exists for this historic landmark.
Future considerations
- A 2009 article in the Canton Citizen states, "The state has narrowed the field of five alternatives to expand commuter rail service from Boston to Fall River and New Bedford down to three options — and one of them includes additional trains through Canton and Stoughton. Kristina Egan of the state’s Executive Office of Transportation told selectmen Tuesday night that another option, which involves expanding rail service from Readville through Canton Junction to Attleboro, will likely not be approved due to its estimated price tag of $2 billion. Egan said that expansion would have added 38 new trains through the Canton station, as well as a new 700-foot bridge next to the historic Canton Viaduct." Engineers conducted a survey of the viaduct area in March 2009.
Recognition
- A celebration is being planned in Canton for the viaduct's 175th anniversary on Saturday, July 10, 2010.
- A campaign is underway to have the Canton Viaduct designated a National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance. All NHLs are listed in the National Register of Historic Places...
- The Canton Viaduct was depicted in the vertical vignette
In philately, a vignette is the central part of the postage stamp design, such as, a monarch's head or a pictorial design, which often shades off gradually to the edges of the stamp....
on all B&P stock certificates for 115 years (from 1835 to 1950).
- The B&P named locomotives in honor of the people and places that contributed to the railroad's success such as Canton, McNeill (No.35), Neponset, Revere (No.29), Stevenson (No.28), Viaduct (No.45) and Whistler.
- The Canton Viaduct was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1984.
- The viaduct has been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1998 by the American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
. It is "one of the two oldest surviving multiple arch stone railroad bridges still in active mainline use in the United States". The Thomas Viaduct is older (completed two weeks prior) but the bridges are not comparable since their main support systems are different. The Thomas Viaduct's main support system is arches and the Canton Viaduct's main support system is parallel walls.
- In 1999 Canton Viaduct Park was created on the west side of Canton Viaduct over the old channel, south of the waterfall, on land owned by the MBTA. A monument was built with discarded capstones from the 1993 deck renovation project. The curved wall was built in the shape of a segmental arch resembling the bridge's deck arches including a symbolic keystone. Atop the monument sit the cornerstone and commemorative plaque, serving as the last stop in the cornerstone's journey. A brick walk with a granite bench (also made from discarded capstones), leads to the monument. Without public parking, sidewalks or crosswalks in the area, park access is difficult, and many people can only view the park as they drive by.
- A scale model of the bridge was built by a former Canton resident (Ed Costanza) using Legos; the model is on display in the Canton Public Library's Reference room.
- The bridge will celebrate its 175th anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates and/or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event...
(demisemiseptcentennial or quartoseptcentennial) on July 28, 2010.
- For town of Canton's 175th anniversary (1997) commemorative silver and copper medals were created with the Canton Viaduct engraved.
- For the Boston Society of Civil Engineers' 150th Anniversary a commemorative pen and ink limited edition print was commissioned featuring 13 significant design and construction achievements in Massachusetts between 1804 and 2002. The Canton Viaduct is shown at the bottom right corner of the print.
- The Canton Police Department honors the Canton Viaduct on their police patches.
- The bridge is the most photographed landmark in Canton, and many local businesses have used the Canton Viaduct's image and name throughout the years. Most recognizable was an image of the bridge used in the Canton Journal's masthead
Masthead is a list, usually found on the editorial page of a newspaper or magazine, of the members of the newspaper's editorial board. If no editorial board exists, the masthead will often feature a list of top news staff members...
for many years.
- The bridge is featured in many civil engineering, bridge and railroad magazines and books such as "A History Of Canton Junction" by Edward D. Galvin, c. 1987; it has also been captured in many artists' paintings and postcards.
- The Viaduct has been the subject of documentary films such as "Viaduct" by George T. Comeau, (1987) and "Inside The Viaduct" (1995).
See also
General references
Further reading
- Galvin, Edward D. (1987). A History Of Canton Junction. Brunswick: Sculpin Publications.
- Cleary, Richard, L. (2007). Bridges. W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN 978-0393731361
- Canton Bicentennial Historical Committee. (1997), Canton Comes Of Age 1797-1997: A History Of The Town Of Canton, Massachusetts. Canton: The Town of Canton
- Comeau, George, T. (2009). Canton - Postcard History Series. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0738572031
- Boothroy, Stephen, J. (2002). Down At The Station: Rail Lines Of Southern New England In Early Postcards. Cranberry Junction. ISBN 978-0971496149
- Jackson, Donald, C. (1988). Great American Bridges And Dams. Wiley. ISBN 978-0471143857
- Barber, John, W. (1844). Historical Collections, Being A General Collection Of Interesting Facts, Traditions, Biographical Sketches, etc., Relating To The History And Antiquities Of Every Town In Massachusetts, With Geographical Descriptions, Illustrated By 200 Engravings. Heritage Books. ISBN 978-1556134630
- DeLony, Eric. (1993). Landmark American Bridges. Little Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0821220368
- Middleton, William, D. (1999). Landmarks On The Iron Road: Two Centuries OF North American Railroad Engineering. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253335593
- Ruddock, Ted. (2000). Masonry Bridges, Viaducts And Aqueducts. Ashgate. ISBN 978-0860787518
- National Park Service. (1995). National Register Of Historic Places 1966 To 1994. Wiley. ISBN 978-0471144038
- Solomon, Brian. (2008). North American Railroad Bridges. Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0760325278
- Adams, Charles, F. (1878). Railroads: Their Origin And Problems. Ayer Co. Publishing. ISBN 978-0405137648
- Harlow, Alvin, F. (1946). Steelways Of New England. New York: Creative Age Press, Inc.
- Cook, Richard, J. (1987). The Beauty Of Railroad Bridges: In North America - Then And Now. San Marino: Golden West Books. ISBN 978-0870950971
External links
- Canton River Watershed Watchdogs
- Canton Viaduct Flickr site
- http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Canton+Viaduct,+Canton,+Norfolk,+Massachusetts+02021&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&hl=en&cd=1&geocode=FXZKgwIdwETC-w&split=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.875,57.630033&t=h&layer=c&cbll=42.157974,-71.154269&panoid=KY1ZrVlInwUIBa8M9SDiCA&cbp=12,108.27,,0,0.89&hq=&hnear=Canton+Viaduct,+Canton,+Norfolk,+Massachusetts+02021&ll=42.158496,-71.153925&spn=0,359.996599&z=19Canton Viaduct on Google Maps - interactive]
- Friends of the Canton Viaduct
- Paul Revere's Copper Rolling Mill