FIRST---All-steel RR Bridge in World, Glasgow, Missouri
N 39° 13.582 W 092° 50.830
15S E 513191 N 4341908
The first all-steel bridge is remembered in a granite monument in tiny Glasgow, Missouri,where the Chicago & Alton RR spanned the Missouri River in 1879. The low cost steel was developed by A.T. Hay of Burlington, Iowa.
Waymark Code: WM984Z
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 07/12/2010
Views: 11
In 1877 the Chicago and Alton Railroad was pushing west with new track in Missouri. They engaged General William S. Smith to make surveys and supervise construction of their new railroad bridge at Glasgow, Missouri. The bridge was completed in 1879.
A History of Glasgow gray granite monument along 1st Street includes these words:
"GLASGOW, SITE OF FIRST ALL STEEL BRIDGE IN WORLD, BUILT BY GEN. WM. S. SMITH, ENGR. 1879 FOR C&A R.R. REPLACED 1900 FOR HEAVIER TRAFFIC. SKETCH OF ORIGINAL BRIDGE ABOVE......."
The bridge design chosen was a Whipple through truss bridge. The Whipple design was preferred over a Pratt truss design by the railroads. However, what made this bridge historic was its all-steel construction instead of using cast iron. The 2700-odd feet bridge length presented a design challenge for a conventional cast iron bridge of the period.
The famed Eads Bridge in St. Louis had used some expensive alloy steel tubes in strategic places, but it also used a lot of cast iron.
A.T Hay of Burlington, Iowa convinced General Smith that his new process for producing cheap steel might be desirable for use in the Glasgow bridge. Smith after reviewing test results on the new material, chose it for the Glasgow bridge. Thus, the span became the first major all-steel bridge-- despite those who argued that it might not stand up to the vibrations of train traffic.
Thus, General Smith made the engineering decision of using a new bridge material, for this bridge crossing the Missouri River at Glasgow, Missouri.
FIRST - Classification Variable: Place or Location
Date of FIRST: 06/07/1879
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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