Railroad Trestle
Sep 10, 2023, 10:31 PM
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This old trestle crosses the Valley River and once carried the rail line that connected Murphy to Andrews, North Carolina.
Archaeological evidence suggests that this is not the original railroad bridge built when the rail line first connected Murphy to points east. When the river is very low, you may be able to spot old wooden footers beneath the existing bridge. These would have served as the foundation for an earlier wooden trestle.
The original wooden footers were likely constructed on shore, then floated into position before being sunk and filled with rocks to secure them in place. The wooden trestle would have been built atop this foundation.
The exact date when the newer steel bridge replaced the original wooden trestle is not known. It is presumed that the new bridge was constructed to support the larger and heavier trains required to serve the growing region.
This beautiful old steel bridge now stands silent—a monument to a busier time. No train has crossed here since the last one departed from Murphy on July 4, 1992.
Archaeological evidence suggests that this is not the original railroad bridge built when the rail line first connected Murphy to points east. When the river is very low, you may be able to spot old wooden footers beneath the existing bridge. These would have served as the foundation for an earlier wooden trestle.
The original wooden footers were likely constructed on shore, then floated into position before being sunk and filled with rocks to secure them in place. The wooden trestle would have been built atop this foundation.
The exact date when the newer steel bridge replaced the original wooden trestle is not known. It is presumed that the new bridge was constructed to support the larger and heavier trains required to serve the growing region.
This beautiful old steel bridge now stands silent—a monument to a busier time. No train has crossed here since the last one departed from Murphy on July 4, 1992.