Nostalgia & History > What is this?

I posted a picture from the Pennsylvania Glass Plate Negative Collection in the posting “What are these men doing?” The picture in the enlargement was identified as a pile driver.

I have become more adept at maneuvering the website and have found the text for the picture.

Text for picture 1 on previous posting. “Title: Ohio Connecting Railway Bridge Construction. Date: May 25, 1914. Creator: Pennsylvania Railroad. Description: View of the pile driver being placed into position on the south side of span number 7 of the Ohio Connecting Railway Bridge (Bridge No. 3). This is one of a series of photos documenting the reconstruction and addition of a second track to the bridge, which spans the Ohio River and connects Brunot Island with Pittsburgh. Location: Pittsburgh (Pa.). Format: 8x10 Glass Plate Negative. Source: Pennsylvania Railroad Glass Plate Negative Collection, 1907-1917. Title: Ohio Connecting Railway Bridge, Spans 11 and 12.

The website has the facility to enlarge a portion of the picture. In picture 1 of this posting I have enlarged the writing on picture 1 of the previous posting. upkpfan spotted this writing in picture 1 in the previous and said, “It says on the pic., I can't make out the first part of top line except at the right side, PGH Div. Ohio connecting bridge, locating pile driver South side of span #7. May 25, 1914 1:43pm.”

Picture 1 is enlargement of writing.

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The website allows a second enlargement. I enlarged the three men around the pile being driven in the original picture 1.

Picture 2 is an enlargement of the three men around the pile being driven.

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When I did a search for Ohio Connecting Railway Bridge on this website I got 37 pictures. Two of the pictures were dated May 25, 1914, picture 1 on the previous posting and picture 3 below.

Picture 3, “Title: Construction on the Ohio Connecting Railway Bridge. Date: May 25, 1914. Creator: Pennsylvania Railroad. Description: View looking north of men bolting a completed span of the Ohio Connecting Railway Bridge (Bridge No. 3) onto its piers. This is one of a series of photos documenting the reconstruction and addition of a second track to the bridge, which spans the Ohio River and connects Brunot Island with Pittsburgh. Location: Pittsburgh (Pa.). Format: 8x10 Glass Plate Negative. Source: Pennsylvania Railroad Glass Plate Negative Collection, 1907-1917.”

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The Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge across the Ohio River at Pittsburgh must be a very large bridge.

I did a search for May 25. 1914 and got 5 pictures including the interesting May 6, 1914 below.

Picture 4, “Date: May 6, 1914. Creator: Pennsylvania Railroad. Description: View looking west from the south side of the Ohio Connecting Railway Bridge (Bridge No. 3), showing false work on spans 11 and 12. This is one of a series of photos documenting the reconstruction and addition of a second track to the bridge, which spans the Ohio River and connects Brunot Island with Pittsburgh. Location: Pittsburgh (Pa.). Format: 8x10 Glass Plate Negative. Source: Pennsylvania Railroad Glass Plate Negative Collection, 1907-1917.

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Picture 5 is an enlargement of a portion of picture 4. What is the thing that is connected to the cables that run under the bridge?

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When I tried a second time to do a search for May 25, 1914 I got 14 photos that did not include the May 6, 1914 photo in picture 5 above. When I did a search for May 6, 1914 I got 101 photos that included the May 6, 1914 photo, picture 5, above.

Flynn, I missed the guy inside the boom about the second bracing up. Looks like he's observing where the three fellows below are handling the wood piling. Looks like the middle man in black is hugging the piling and don't know if they are reading to drive it or have pulled it for some reason, but I'd assume they're planning to set it. Maybe the fellow inside the boom will then help align the top of the piling with the hammer when it is lowered to the driving position. Oh, where was OSHA when you needed them?!!
Now that you found the other pics, It appears the new bridge is being temporarily supported by the wood bridge-type scaffolding beneath it. Thanks for the continuation here!

#1,2. "Hey guys isn't someone supposed to grease the pole?"

I think there are four men around the pole. That plus the man "inside the boom about the second bracing up" that rrman6 pointed out makes two men I did not see the first time I looked at the picture. Thanks rrman6.

It looks to me they are taking down the old wood and replacing it with steel. The first set of pics shows a huge steel connecting rod secured to the wood piles or bents.


Nudge

Why are they driving steel now as you drive that as the first thing you do to build a bridge? I seen the man up in the tower after I sent you my email about the wording. upkpfan

From the third paragraph of this posting, “This is one of a series of photos documenting the reconstruction and addition of a second track to the bridge.” Perhaps they are building the second track from the ground up right next to the present bridge. In this case they would be driving piles right next to the present bridge.