Peacock's Lock Viaduct is a stone arch bridge over the Schuylkill River near Reading, Pennsylvania, constructed by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad between 1853 and 1856. It is named for a nearby lock on the Schuylkill Canal. The bridge is notable for its pierced spandrels, or circular openings between the arch rings and the deck. While this feature is found on some European bridges, it is extremely rare, if not unique, in the United States.[1]
Peacock's Lock Viaduct | |
|---|---|
 Peacock's Lock Viaduct in 1999. | |
| Coordinates | 40°24′36″N 75°56′51″W / 40.41000°N 75.94750°W |
| Carries | Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad |
| Crosses | Schuylkill River |
| Locale | Reading, Pennsylvania |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
| Material | Stone |
| Longest span | 46 feet (14 m) |
| No. of spans | 9 |
| History | |
| Designer | Philadelphia and Reading Railroad |
| Construction start | 1853 |
| Opened | 1856 |
| Location | |
 | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Spivey, Justin M. (April 2000). "Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, Peacock's Lock Viaduct" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 2. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
External links
edit- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. PA-118, "Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, Peacock's Lock Viaduct", 7 photos, 1 color transparency, 4 data pages, 1 photo caption page