Abraham Burton Cohen
Encyclopedia
Abraham Burton Cohen was an American
civil engineer
notable for his role in designing innovative and record-breaking concrete bridges such as the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
's Tunkhannock Viaduct
, the world's largest concrete structure when completed. Cohen was an active member of the American Concrete Institute
and earned ACI's Wason Medal for Most Meritorious Paper in 1927.
and died in East Orange, New Jersey
. He earned a degree in civil engineering from Purdue University
in 1905 and an honorary doctorate in 1949. Cohen spent a majority of his career with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
before leaving in 1920 to form his own consulting practice in New York City
. As a consulting engineer, he designed a number of concrete spans in Scranton, Pennsylvania
, Binghamton, New York
, and elsewhere. At least two of these, the Tunkhannock Viaduct and Scranton's Harrison Avenue Bridge
, are on the National Register of Historic Places. He died on February 11, 1956.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
notable for his role in designing innovative and record-breaking concrete bridges such as the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
's Tunkhannock Viaduct
Tunkhannock Viaduct
Tunkhannock Viaduct is a concrete deck arch bridge that spans the Tunkhannock Creek in Nicholson, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It was the largest concrete bridge in the U.S. when it opened, and remained so even 50 years later.The bridge contains about of concrete and of steel...
, the world's largest concrete structure when completed. Cohen was an active member of the American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
The American Concrete Institute is a non-profit technical society and standard developing organization . ACI was founded in 1904 and its headquarters are currently located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA.- ACI History :1904-1929:...
and earned ACI's Wason Medal for Most Meritorious Paper in 1927.
Biography
Cohen was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and died in East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
. He earned a degree in civil engineering from Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
in 1905 and an honorary doctorate in 1949. Cohen spent a majority of his career with the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
before leaving in 1920 to form his own consulting practice in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. As a consulting engineer, he designed a number of concrete spans in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, Binghamton, New York
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, and elsewhere. At least two of these, the Tunkhannock Viaduct and Scranton's Harrison Avenue Bridge
Harrison Avenue Bridge
Harrison Avenue Bridge is a concrete deck arch bridge carrying Harrison Avenue in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States. Its three spans include an open-spandrel ribbed arch over Roaring Brook, flanked by two closed-spandrel arches...
, are on the National Register of Historic Places. He died on February 11, 1956.
Selected Projects
- 1908 Delaware River ViaductDelaware River ViaductThe Delaware River Viaduct is the sister bridge of the Paulinskill Viaduct on the Lackawanna Cut-Off rail line between eastern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey. Built in 1908-10, this reinforced concrete bridge crosses the Delaware River about two miles south of the Delaware Water Gap...
on DL&W RRDelaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
Lackawanna Cutoff - 1909 Paulinskill ViaductPaulinskill ViaductThe Paulinskill Viaduct, also known as the Hainesburg Viaduct, is a railroad bridge which crosses the Paulins Kill in Knowlton Township, New Jersey....
on DL&W RRDelaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
Lackawanna Cutoff - 1913 Tunkhannock ViaductTunkhannock ViaductTunkhannock Viaduct is a concrete deck arch bridge that spans the Tunkhannock Creek in Nicholson, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It was the largest concrete bridge in the U.S. when it opened, and remained so even 50 years later.The bridge contains about of concrete and of steel...
on DL&W RRDelaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
Summit-Hallstead Cutoff - 1916 DL&W RRDelaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
track elevation in Orange, NJ and South Orange, NJ - 1921 Harrison Avenue BridgeHarrison Avenue BridgeHarrison Avenue Bridge is a concrete deck arch bridge carrying Harrison Avenue in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States. Its three spans include an open-spandrel ribbed arch over Roaring Brook, flanked by two closed-spandrel arches...
in Scranton, PA - 1924 Hudson County BoulevardCounty Route 501 (New Jersey)County Route 501 is a county highway in New Jersey in two sections spanning Middlesex, Hudson and Bergen Counties. The southern section runs from South Plainfield to Perth Amboy, the northern section runs from Bayonne to Rockleigh, and the two sections are connected by New York State Route 440...
at Journal SquareJournal SquareJournal Square is a business district, residential area, and transportation hub in Jersey City, New Jersey, which takes its name from the newspaper Jersey Journal whose headquarters are located there. The "square" itself is at the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and Bergen Avenues...
, Jersey City, NJ - 1946 Spruce Street Bridge repairs in Scranton, PA