Bangor and Portland Railway - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

History

The Bangor and Portland Railway was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

railroad incorporated in 1879. It began operations between Bangor

Bangor, Pennsylvania

Bangor is a borough located in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, west of New York City, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt. It had a population of 5,273 at the 2010 census.-History:...

and Portland, Pennsylvania

Portland, Pennsylvania

Portland is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Portland is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt.The population of Portland was 579 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...

, the following year. A branch opened in 1885 from Bangor, extending along Martins Creek to connect with the Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania Railroad

The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

at the town of Martins Creek

Martins Creek, Pennsylvania

Martins Creek is an unincorporated town in Lower Mt. Bethel Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, located along Martins Creek. The zip code is 18063. Its population was 1,200 as of the 1990 Census.-See also:...

on the Delaware River. 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...

(DL&W) acquired the B&P as its Bangor and Portland Division in July 1903, and fully absorbed it six years later.

Structures

This railroad crosses of Martins Creek on an unusual bridge with two different spans, a 67 feet (20.4 m) riveted deck girder and a 56 feet (17.1 m) riveted lattice deck truss. The bridge originally had two 67 feet (20.4 m) deck girder spans, but these were doubled up to increase their strength. The 56 feet (17.1 m) lattice deck truss spans were salvaged from Bridge No. 138 on the DL&W’s Buffalo Division and a new abutment constructed to accommodate the shorter span length.