Columbia Railroad Bridge
# Columbia Railroad Bridge

Columbia Railroad Bridge, also known as Columbia Bridge, is a 1920 concrete arch bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that carries CSX Trenton Subdivision rail lines over the Schuylkill River. Located in Fairmount Park, upstream of the Pennsylvania Railroad Connecting Bridge, it is the third railroad bridge at the site. Near its east abutment are the Schuylkill Grandstand (for viewing rowing regattas) and the John B. Kelly statue.

## First bridge

The first bridge at this location was an 1834 covered bridge of white pine and seven spans. It was built by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad, which connected Philadelphia and Columbia in Lancaster County. An inclined plane on the bridge's west side drew the railway cars up Belmont Hill by cable. In 1851, the Philadelphia and Reading Railway bought the bridge from the state.

* The first Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad Bridge in 1859.
* "View from the Inclined Plane" (1838). The first Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad Bridge is visible at the bottom of the hill.
* Schuylkill River map (1872).

## Second bridge

The second bridge was erected in 1886 by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway to carry increasingly heavy freight traffic. It was a two-track, wrought-iron Pratt truss bridge that served until 1920.

* Second Columbia Railroad Bridge (circa 1917).

## Current bridge

The current bridge was completed in 1920 with two tracks. Two more were added in 1921, but now there are only two tracks on this bridge.

* From upstream.
* 2010 Dad Vail Regatta.
* Schuylkill Grandstand.
* John B. Kelly statue.
