The Hurricane Gulch Bridge is a 918-foot (280 m) long steel arch railroad bridge that crosses Hurricane Gulch, Alaska. It is located at milepost 284.2, counting from Seward. At 296 feet (90 m) above the Hurricane creek, it is both the longest and tallest bridge on the entire Alaska Railroad. Many of Alaska Railroad's passenger trains pass over this bridge, including the Denali Star, the Aurora Winter and the flag-stop Hurricane Turn, in addition to freight movements.[1][2]
Hurricane Gulch Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 63°0′54″N 149°37′0″W / 63.01500°N 149.61667°W |
| Carries | Alaska Railroad |
| Crosses | Hurricane Gulch (tributary of Chulitna River) |
| Locale | Hurricane Gulch |
| Maintained by | Alaska Railroad |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch |
| Width | 8 ft (2.4 m), 1 track with a walkway on one side |
| Longest span | 918 ft (279.8 m) |
| Clearance above | Deck arch, unlimited clearance |
| Clearance below | 296 ft (90 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | August 15, 1921 |
| Location | |
 | |
A road bridge by the same name also exists.[where?]
Construction
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Construction of this bridge by the American Bridge Company began in early 1921. The first steel was erected in June, and the first passenger train operated on August 15 of the same year. It was the most difficult and expensive bridge project on the railroad, and cost $1.2 million (equivalent to $20.5 million in 2023 adjusted for inflation). To build it, the company strung an aerial tram across the gulch, and construction proceeded from both sides simultaneously.[3] For eight years, this was the tallest bridge in the US.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Route Map". Alaska Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
- ^ "Freight Routes". Alaska Railroad. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
- ^ Combs, John. "Route Map: Hurricane Gulch". John's Alaska Railroad Page. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
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