Covered Bridges on Two Wheels
A photographic journey to Vermont's Covered Bridges
East Shoreham Railroad Bridge
Current Status: Pedestrian Only
Location: East Shoreham, off Shoreham Depot Road
Crosses: Lemon Fair River
GPS: 43.859302N, 73.255715W
Built: 1897 Length: 109 feet
Truss Design: Howe
WGN*: VT-01-05 NRHP**: Yes
* WGN: World Guide to Covered Bridges Number
**NRHP: Listed on National Register of Historic Places
One of only two covered railroad bridges left in Vermont, the East Shoreham Railroad Bridge (also known as the Rutland Railroad Bridge) spans the Lemon Fair River. The rail line was a spur that connected Leicester Junction, Vermont with the Delaware and Hudson Railroad at Ticonderoga. The line was last used in 1951 and the rails have been removed.
The bridge was built using the patented Howe truss, which I did not explain in the "Bridge Terminology" section of this web site, since it is used so rarely.
The truss consists, fairly simply, of timbers fitted diagonally between a top and bottom chord, with iron rods vertically between the chords. The iron rods go through the chords and pull tension against the diagonals. In the case of this bridge, counter braces are installed, forming an 'X' pattern.
This simple design turned out to be very strong and became widely used in railroad bridges, especially steel bridges, because it maintains strength over long spans. Notice that in this bridge, the tie beams across the tops of the upper chords do not have knee bracing, so as to maximize the clearance inside for trains. Instead, the tie beams are braced with 'X' shaped cross bracing.
In 1983 the bridge received a major restoration. Part of the work done was to remove the rails and lay down a floor across the original track ties, so that pedestrians can enter it. Unlike many Vermont covered bridges that are owned by the towns they are in, the State of Vermont Division of Historic Preservation maintains this one.
Being that it's a railroad bridge, it is quite large and impressive to walk inside of. Windows cut into the side allow nice views of the surrounds, including a peek at another old bridge... an pony truss crossing the same river on Shoreham Depot Road.
Visiting the bridge:
The rail line leading up to the bridge has been converted into a short nature trail. There is a sizable parking area off Shoreham Depot Road with a Vermont State Historic Site marker. Shoreham Depot Road is paved.
The walk to the bridge is only a little more than a tenth of a mile. The trail is barricaded with concrete blocks to prevent motor vehicle access, although that doesn't seem to have stopped ATVs from circumventing them. I probably could have gotten my motorcycle down there, but decided to respect the barricades, so this will be one of the few bridges where there will be no picture with my bike in it.
The trail is fenced off only a little ways past the bridge... private property. Please respect the fence!