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The Frisco Bridge, previously known as the Memphis Bridge, is a cantilevered through
/ref> carrying a rail line across the
/ref> they probably confuse this bridge with the neighboring Harahan Bridge, which had two cantilevered roadways from 1917 until the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge opened in 1949. (The former roadway on the north side of the Harahan Bridge is now designated as Big River Crossing, having been refitted to carry pedestrian and bicycle traffic across the Mississippi River in 2016.) While the Frisco Bridge has not featured cantilevered roadways, pedestrians, buggies, and some automobiles used its main deck before the Harahan Bridge opened (the bridge was closed to such traffic while a train was crossing). Construction for the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway, later acquired by the " Frisco," began in 1888 and was completed May 12, 1892. In the end the project created a bridge that was the farthest south on the Mississippi River, featured the longest truss span in the
The Memphis Railroad BridgesRecent Photos of the Frisco Bridge
{{Memphis, Tennessee Truss bridges in the United States Railroad bridges in Arkansas Railroad bridges in Tennessee Bridges over the Mississippi River Bridges in Memphis, Tennessee Bridges completed in 1892 BNSF Railway bridges St. Louis–San Francisco Railway Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks Transportation in Crittenden County, Arkansas Buildings and structures in West Memphis, Arkansas Steel bridges in the United States Cantilever bridges in the United States Historic American Engineering Record in Arkansas Historic American Engineering Record in Tennessee Interstate railroad bridges in the United States 1892 establishments in Arkansas 1892 establishments in Tennessee
The Frisco Bridge, previously known as the Memphis Bridge, is a cantilevered through truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements, typically straight, may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...
Bridge Hunter Historic Bridge Page/ref> carrying a rail line across the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
between West Memphis, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
.
Construction
At the time of the Memphis bridge construction, it was a significant technological challenge and is considered to be chief engineer George S. Morison's crowning achievement. No other bridges had ever been attempted on the Lower Mississippi River. The bridge is built entirely of open-hearth steel, a newly developed material at the time of construction. The structure features a main span and two additional spans. Its height above the water was the highest clearance of any U.S. bridge of that era. The construction of the piers went nearly below the water's surface. Though some sources claim two cantilevered roadways were added to the bridge in the 1930s, one on each side,American Society of Civil Engineers: Morison's Memphis Bridge/ref> they probably confuse this bridge with the neighboring Harahan Bridge, which had two cantilevered roadways from 1917 until the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge opened in 1949. (The former roadway on the north side of the Harahan Bridge is now designated as Big River Crossing, having been refitted to carry pedestrian and bicycle traffic across the Mississippi River in 2016.) While the Frisco Bridge has not featured cantilevered roadways, pedestrians, buggies, and some automobiles used its main deck before the Harahan Bridge opened (the bridge was closed to such traffic while a train was crossing). Construction for the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis Railway, later acquired by the " Frisco," began in 1888 and was completed May 12, 1892. In the end the project created a bridge that was the farthest south on the Mississippi River, featured the longest truss span in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and cost nearly 3 million dollars.
A testament to its design and construction, the bridge is still used by BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...
and is being renovated as part of a system-wide BNSF infrastructure improvement program. The west approach to the bridge, which was made of 52 spans totaling in length, was replaced by a new 27-span bridge. This project was completed in 2017. The bridge was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1987.
See also
* List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Arkansas * List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Tennessee * List of crossings of the Lower Mississippi RiverReferences
External links
* * *, discusses Chief Engineer George S. Morison and his many bridges, including nearly 50 pages about the Memphis Bridge (Frisco Bridge).The Memphis Railroad Bridges
{{Memphis, Tennessee Truss bridges in the United States Railroad bridges in Arkansas Railroad bridges in Tennessee Bridges over the Mississippi River Bridges in Memphis, Tennessee Bridges completed in 1892 BNSF Railway bridges St. Louis–San Francisco Railway Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks Transportation in Crittenden County, Arkansas Buildings and structures in West Memphis, Arkansas Steel bridges in the United States Cantilever bridges in the United States Historic American Engineering Record in Arkansas Historic American Engineering Record in Tennessee Interstate railroad bridges in the United States 1892 establishments in Arkansas 1892 establishments in Tennessee