Kinzua Bridge
Kinzua Bridge State Park is located in Mckean county at 296 Viaduct road Mt. Jewett , PA. The state parks main attraction is the Kinzua Bridge Viaduct . The Viaduct, originally constructed in 1882 using wrought iron as the support system, was designed and utilized to enable trains to cross the massive gorge. The bridge spanned the gorge 2052 feet in length and towered above the gorges ground 301 feet at its highest point. When built the viaduct was originally known as the "eighth wonder of the world" as it held the record as the tallest railroad bridge for a brief period. Just 18 years later, in 1900, the railway trestle was rebuilt, this time using steel. The modification to steel allowed the trestle to support heavier trains. The trestle continued supporting commercial trains until 1959 when the bridge was removed from service. The bridge was sold to the state of Pennsylvania in 1963 where it became the main attraction for a state park. In 2002 a painstaking process to rebuild the bridge was initiated. Corrosion of its anchoring bolts and support systems had weakened the structure. In 2003, while the restoration was still in process, a tornado came through the valley causing a large portion of the bridge to collapse, the twisted steel towers of the collapsed portion of the bridge lye to this day on the ground below.
The state park rebuilt the 600 foot portion of the bridge which remained standing, creating the Kinzua Skywalk. The skywalk allows the public to walk along the tracks out into the sky where you end suspended over the gorge on an observation deck with a partial glass bottom. Railroad tracks remain in the center of the walkway featuring a double set of tracks. The second set of tracks were originally placed outside the first set to aid in stopping a train which derailed from its tracks, hopefully preventing the train from plummeting to the valley below. The bridge is well constructed with deck boards securely on both sides of the tracks for safe walking, a securerail also surrounds the perimeter. Gaps are present between the tracks as no deck boards were affixed to this area. The gaps are small but large enough for small dogs to fall between, so although dogs are welcomed by the park please keep this in mind.
The state park rebuilt the 600 foot portion of the bridge which remained standing, creating the Kinzua Skywalk. The skywalk allows the public to walk along the tracks out into the sky where you end suspended over the gorge on an observation deck with a partial glass bottom. Railroad tracks remain in the center of the walkway featuring a double set of tracks. The second set of tracks were originally placed outside the first set to aid in stopping a train which derailed from its tracks, hopefully preventing the train from plummeting to the valley below. The bridge is well constructed with deck boards securely on both sides of the tracks for safe walking, a securerail also surrounds the perimeter. Gaps are present between the tracks as no deck boards were affixed to this area. The gaps are small but large enough for small dogs to fall between, so although dogs are welcomed by the park please keep this in mind.