Monument Alongside Track In Phila.

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Took Amtrak from Charlottesville, Va to Philadelphia, Pa. this last week. About 4-5 min. South of Market St Station there is a monument that looks to be 6-8’ tall right alongside the tracks on the west side. Does anyone know what that is?

2

A wild guess is John Bartram, an early botanist, who established Bartram’s Garden, still a major attraction. But I don’t actually know - now you’ve got me curious. Stay tuned . … .

  • Paul North.
3

This one:

It’s a monument to B&O workers who built a nearby bridge.

Nick

4

Thanks for that , Nick. It certainly seems like what was described, but -

Why is a monument to B&O workers next to former PRR line ? Did the PRR acquire the B&O line or bridge later, or are those 2 lines really close together there ? And what is the name or location of the bridge, and the reason that the monument was erected ? Any details would be appreciated.

Someplace I have a location-specific detailed ‘trip guide’ from a railfan excursion over that portion of the B&O many years ago - I wonder if it is described in there ?

5

I guess nothing is safe from tagging these days. [banghead]

6

Evidently it is the “Newkirk Viaduct Monument”, which was erected in 1838 to apparently commemorate either the completion of the first Gray’s Ferry Ave. Bridge, and/ or the PRR’s predecessor railroad to Baltimore - this explanation is a little confusing - see:

[link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newkirk_Viaduct_Monument[/link]

Sadly enough, this Wikipedia description - last edited in Dec. 2009 - says that “Currently the monument is in disrepair, is abandoned and nearly forgotten.” The photos are similar enough, with what appears to be a graffiti “76” painted on the front of the Wikipedia photo and Nick’s photo.

It’s at the following Latitude/ Longitude coordinates:

39° 56′ 22.2″ N, 75° 12′ 38.16″ W

39.9395, -75.2106

For us terrestrials, it’s in the northerly quadrant of and below the S. 49th St. bridge (actually NW-SE) which crosses over the Amtrak (ex-PRR) main line (SW-NE) and then turns SW and becomes Gray’s Ave., a little above track level on the northwestern side, about 0.2 mile / 1,000 ft. SW of the western end of the current Gray’s Ferry Ave. bridge, and about 0.1 mi. / 500 ft. SE of Woodland Ave.

  • Paul North.