![lt= Nicholson Bridge on the Lackawanna Trail](/subjects/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/images/stea-2343-postcard-1.jpg?maxwidth=650&autorotate=false)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 2343
Bridges & Viaducts
The country became increasingly connected by rail as the 19th century progressed. As railroads penetrated the nation’s interior, shorter routes were sought to reduce wear and tear on rails. To create the most direct routes possible, barriers such as mountains, rivers and canyons were bypassed, tunneled through, or spanned by bridges and viaducts. Reduction of curves led to faster routes.
Routes needed to be as flat as possible. At first, railroads followed the topography of the land, using pre-existing paths or valley floors. To avoid having to exert more power to go uphill, early train tracks sometimes wound through the terrain like a roller coaster. Tunnel clearances, weight limitations of bridges, and track curvature limited the size of locomotives. Improvements in earth-moving technology at the turn of the 20th century made it easier to straighten and flatten routes for larger locomotives, while steel reinforced construction spanned valleys.
![Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct Construction](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/CB556789-9C13-96F6-9B4767A6AAFB5240.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469.F206
![Blueprint of (Martin's Creek Viaduct design plans](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/CB2370DE-B908-5DBD-C20DAB9337D5F0B3.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 6961
![Water-proofing Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, Lackawanna Railroad](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/CB3C09A3-9F10-B432-7A8A6E4606C7DFAC.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. L018
![Bridge 60 first pier construction](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/CB80462D-B2B8-FA47-0567158835A102DE.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. A0896
![D. L. & W. - Lackawanna River Bridge](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/04CA13E8-AB94-2D3E-BF4468874F271AF8.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469.B0150
![D. L. & W. Bridge No. 60 M.L.](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/CC46C690-CE59-56D4-C8E278140575DC03.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown National Historic Site, STEA 7469. B0296
![Water-proofing Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/CCCDDE15-BC9E-5B03-7F53594BEC50B08D.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B2232
Railyard Buildings
Railroads required dedicated infrastructure. Stations were needed to load and unload passengers. Other structures were built to move and process finished goods and raw materials such as anthracite, milk, grain, and livestock. Locomotives and railroad rolling stock needed facilities for ongoing maintenance, fueling and watering.
![D.L.& W. R.R. Locomotive Shops](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FCCDF77F-07ED-F427-59B976844335D630.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown National Historic Site, STEA 7469. B0060
![Construction workers, locomotive shop](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F9748E96-F78E-721E-13DA2EF300A5820A.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown National Historic Site, STEA 7469. B0143
![D.L.& W. Locomotive Shops, Scranton PA](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FC7A54B2-C6C4-20F6-A2E6B0E0BB1B69EF.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B0561
![Locomotive shop interior](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F9DF1B20-C678-F1BF-FE7A4357F077F0D6.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. F028
![Locomotive shops under construction](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F8CE2958-EA3B-6437-3847C7E49B350704.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. F132
![Second Floor D.L. & W. Store-House](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FA8D5DFC-EB73-CC9C-4727F17D5D8C3EC8.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown National Historic Site, STEA 7469. B1778
![D.L.&W. administrative office workers](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FACE297D-96E6-1ADD-B7D28260544533FA.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B2340
![Elevation On Coal Chute and Sand Chute Track](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FCF30D06-A7B0-9043-A0801D2A74B0B7B5.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 1998
![Penn'a Lines Great Freight Yards at Conway, Pennsylvania](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F5A5F84E-0586-C0DA-F60B660B4D3D7441.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 2340
![Informational Sign](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F58CDE1E-9F26-2BB1-8CF9891AAADE5CA1.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 2670
![Railroad Switch](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FD7EF2B9-E22A-7015-1C4A912E1CA70477.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 2854
![Station Map - Tracks & Structures, The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R.R.](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FAEDC9EE-F29C-B057-309C0DB3C434F5B6.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown National Historic Site, STEA 7469. F226
![Storage docks and warehouse](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F9B81923-91E8-0ECD-A1F6176DD5581E7C.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469 B0068
![Map of buildings, tracks & turntables](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FB0AB46A-9C88-8CCE-E9C32028EDF77CC7.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B1219
![Scranton Yard D.L.&W. During Strike of 1877](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F92B06E1-DF29-8CBF-87B1849618D62E77.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B2730
![Locomotive 374, Maine Central Railroad](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F7C3F4DA-FA10-83AB-E97E20694D118970.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7958
![Deposit tracks for spent coal ash](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F8FFD685-B666-7B29-026A7A1ACF4B6AE8.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. C3897
![Coal refilling trestle with ash tracks](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F917360E-D76E-EEB1-3C479F1033CA0B4E.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. C1088
![Roundhouse interior after fire](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FA6D1C7F-C0A2-C1AC-8F23B4123D345700.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B2581
![(Charred D.L. & W. roundhouse interior after fire)](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FC84A181-FDDE-3532-289F6E91F018FDB0.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B2582
![Locomotives awaiting servicing in roundhouse](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/FA158AC4-CB54-6518-78AE6E7EA4053B26.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. C1267
Lackawanna Station
![D.L.&W. passenger station façade](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/D13EF6AC-0D5B-A399-D6E383F111D24B6F.jpg?width=1300&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B1969
![Mining Engineers](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F76FBB39-9B2F-CE39-EE1BE959073F2F49.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown National Historic Site, STEA 7469. F197
![(Mosaic, Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad Company passenger station waiting area)](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F77E558F-F98B-677C-62716FE02F0827D9.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 7469. B0312
![(Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad passenger station design plan)](/common/uploads/grid_builder/steamtownlocomotivesexhibit/crop16_9/F798C116-000D-E1A4-FFD5484827B9689E.jpg?width=640&quality=90&mode=crop)
Steamtown NHS, STEA 6961
Last updated: October 26, 2022