Known Bollman Works

(All B. & O. works listed were designed by Bollman and built by the railroad, unless otherwise indicated.)

Dates of serviceLocationTypeNo. spans / length of eachRemarks
1850-?Savage, Md., Little Patuxent RiverBollman through truss1/76'First Bollman truss erected; granite towers; cost, $23,825. B. & O. RR.
1851-?Bladensburg, Md., Anacostia RiverBollman through truss1/?Second Bollman truss erected; granite towers; cost, $19,430. B. & O. RR.
1851-1862Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac RiverBollman through truss1/124'Winchester span; first major Bollman truss; three lines of truss; granite towers; blown up by Confederate Army on September 24, 1862. B. & O. RR.
1851-?Baltimore, Md., Carey StreetTrestleWood trestle bents with wrought-iron diagonals. First use of iron structural members in trestlework. Total length 76 feet. B. & O. RR.
1852-Savage, Md., Little Patuxent RiverBollman through truss2/?80'Still standing. Moved to Savage in 1888; original location unknown. This and succeeding Bollman trusses use iron towers. B. & O. RR.
1852 (or 1853)-?Marriottsville, Md., Patapsco RiverBollman truss1/50'One of first Bollman trusses with iron towers. B. & O. RR.
1853-?Zanesville, Ohio, Muskingum RiverBollman truss4/124' (or 5/160')Double track, Central Ohio RR. Designed by Bollman; built by Douglas, Smith & Co., Zanesville.
1854-1870(?)Elysville (now Daniels), Md., Patapsco RiverBollman through truss3/97'9"Upper bridge, skew. Cost, $24,477.59. B. & O. RR.
1854-1862Monocacy, Md., Monocacy RiverBollman truss3/119'Blown up September 8, 1862; rebuilt in 1864. Cost, $22,722.59. B. & O. RR.
1854-?Eastern OhioBollman truss(?)1/40'C. O. RR. Section 76 adjacent to 300-ft. tunnel.
1855-?Bridgeville, Ohio, Salt CreekBollman deck truss1/71'C. O. RR.
Pre-1855-?Buffalo, N.Y.Unidentified. Mentioned by George Vose in Railroad Advocate (June 9, 1855).
1856-?Elysville, Md., about 1-1/4 miles east of 1854 bridge, Patapsco RiverBollman through truss3/111'Lower Bridge. B. & O. RR.
Pre-1856-?Marriottsville, Md.Bollman truss(?)1/48'9"Referred to as “Tunnel Bridge” in B. & O. RR. annual report, 1856.
1856-?Near Ijamsville, Md., Bush CreekIron girders3/23'9"Possibly trussed beams; mentioned in B. & O. RR. annual report, 1856.
1856-?Near Ijamsville, Md., Bush CreekIron girders2/23'9"As above.
1856-c.1862North Branch, Md., Potomac RiverBollman deck truss3/142'Partially destroyed in Civil War. B. & O. RR.
1860-1906Chile, Angostura RiverBollman truss(?)4/115'Chilean Railways. Designed and built by Bollman. Replaced by bridge built by French firm of Schneider, Cruesot & Co.
1860-1910Chile, Paine RiverBollman truss(?)1/?As above.
Post-1860-?Ilchester, Md., Patapsco RiverBollman through truss1/?B. & O. RR.
Pre-1861-?CubaBridges and station houseAll bridges on Havana RR., including iron station house and bridge at Guines. Designed and built by Bollman.
Pre-1861-?CubaBridgesAll bridges on Cienfuegos RR., Cárdenas RR., and Havana & Matanzas RR. Designed and built by Bollman.
Pre-1861-?CubaTrestleTrestle with wrought-iron columns (the first such ever constructed). Havana RR. Designed and built by Bollman.
1862-1862Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac RiverBollman through truss2/160'Span no. 3 (July 24) and span no. 4 (August 21). Blown up September 24, 1862. B. & O. RR.
1862-1936Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac RiverBollman through truss1/160'Span no. 5 (November). B. & O. RR.
1863-1936Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac RiverBollman through truss3/160'Spans nos. 3, 4, and 5. Constructed previous to April 1863. B. & O. RR.
1863-?Berwyn, Md., Paint BranchBollman truss(?)?Iron bridge mentioned in B. & O. RR. annual report, 1863
1863(4?)-?Clinton, Iowa, Mississippi RiverPivot draw1/360'Built by Detroit Bridge & Iron Works. It was the longest in the world at time of completion. Designed by Bollman.
1864-?Laurel, Md., Patuxent RiverBollman truss?Replaced stone arch that had been washed out. B. & O. RR.
c. 1864-?Near Veracruz, Mexico, Medellín RiverBollman hrough truss1/115' Veracruz & Jucaro RR. First iron bridge in Mexico. Designed and built by Bollman.
1864-?Near Point of Rocks, Md., Back CreekBollman truss(?)1/80'(?)Iron bridge mentioned in B. & O. RR. annual report, 1864. The span length given is that of previous stone arch.
1864-?Bladensburg, Md., Anacostia RiverBollman truss1/?Span for second track, to match 1851 span. B. & O. RR.
1868-?Cape Fear, N.C., Northeast Branch, Cape Fear RiverBollman truss(?)2/146'6" 1/164' pivot draw/150'Wilmington Railway Bridge Co. This bridge was connected to that over the Northwest Branch by 2-1/2 miles of timber trestling. Designed and built by Bollman.
1868-?Cape Fear, N.C., Northwest Branch, Cape Fear RiverBollman truss(?)1/217'(?) pivot draw/150'See above.
1868-?Quincy, Ill., Quincy Bay (in Mississippi River)Bollman deck truss4/85' pivot draw/190'Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR. The pivot draw was formed of two 85-ft. simple Bollman deck spans whose outer ends hung from hog chains. Designed by Bollman; built by Detroit Bridge & Iron Works.
1869-c.1892Baltimore, Md., over Jones Falls, B. & O. RR., and Northern Central RR.Warren truss2/100'
2/55'6"
North Avenue Bridge. Composite double intersection truss; timber top chord and posts, wrought-iron lower chord and ties. In 55-ft. spans, both chords timber. Cost, $73,588. Built by Bollman.
c.1869-1936Harpers Ferry, Va., Potomac RiverBollman through truss4/?Canal span (no. 8), Wide span (no. 2), Winchester span, and West End span. Destroyed by flood in 1936. B. & O. RR.
1870-.1895Baltimore, Md., Jones FallsIron “Isometrical truss” (probably Pratt type)1/108'Charles Street Bridge. Three lines of trussing.Cost, $20,297. Built by Bollman.
1870-1893 & 1900Bellaire, Ohio-Benwood W. Va., Ohio RiverBollman deck truss9/107'-125'In approaches; 2 spans on Ohio side; 7 on West Virginia side. B. & O. RR.
1870-c.1895Belpre, Ohio-Parkersburg, W. Va., Ohio RiverBollman deck truss16/?In approaches; 7 spans on Ohio side; 9 on West Virginia side. B. & O. RR.
1870-?Elysville, Md., Patapsco RiverBollman through truss4/?Skew; replacement of Upper Bridge(?). B. & O. RR.
1871-c.1895Baltimore, Md., Jones FallsTimber and iron truss?Decker Street (now Maryland Avenue) Bridge. Cost, $24,975. Built by Bollman.
1871-c.1892Baltimore, Md., over Northern Central RR. at Jones FallsWarren truss1/100'North Avenue Bridge. Composite double intersection truss; cast-iron top chord and posts; wrought-iron bottom chord and ties. West span. Built by Bollman.
1873-1923Cave Station, Va., Middle RiverBollman deck truss1/98'7"
1/63'5"
Valley Railroad of Virginia (B. & O.) Bridge no. 120. The main span was a Whipple deck truss. Replaced with plate girders. Designed by Bollman.
1873-1923Mount Crawford, Va., North RiverBollman deck truss2/98'6"
1/148'9"
Valley Railroad of Virginia (B. & O.) Bridge no. 117. Designed by Bollman.
1873-1923Verona, Va., North RiverBollman deck truss3/98'7"Valley Railroad of Virginia (B. & O.) Bridge no. 129. The main span was a 147-ft. Whipple deck truss. Designed by Bollman.
1873-?Wadesville, Va., Opequon CreekBollman through truss1/147'8"Span length given is that of previous wood span that burned in 1862. B. & O. RR.
c. 1873-Baltimore, Md.Iron roof trusses?First Presbyterian Church. Built by Bollman; possibly designed by him.
1873-Baltimore, Md.Cast-iron stairsCity Hall. Cost, $12,840. Designed by George A. Frederick, architect; built by Bollman.
1873-Baltimore, Md.Cast-iron frameworkDome of the City Hall. Cost, $70,525. Designed by George A. Frederick; built by Bollman.
1875-c.1913Baltimore, Md., Jones FallsIron truss1/?Fayette Street Bridge. Cost, $9,396. Built by Bollman.
1876-c.1913Baltimore, Md., Jones FallsSingle-beam iron bridge (truss?)1/?Canton Avenue (now Fleet Street) Bridge. Cost, $8,904. Built by Bollman.
1876-c.1913Baltimore, Md., Jones FallsSingle-beam iron bridge (truss?)1/?Eastern Avenue Bridge. Cost, $12,382. Built by Bollman.
1877-Baltimore, Md., Jones FallsPratt and bowstring truss1/88'6"Lombard Street Bridge. Three lines of truss; two outer trusses, composite cast- and wrought-iron polygonal Pratt type; center composite bowstring with Pratt-system web. Both chords are cast-iron water mains, bifurcated at the end bearings; cast-iron posts and wrought-iron ties. In service. Cost, $7,632. Designed by Jas. Curran, Baltimore water department; built by Bollman.
1877-c.1913Baltimore, Md., Jones FallsIron truss1/?Bath Street Bridge. Cost, $4,172. Built by Bollman.
1879-?Baltimore, Md.Drawbridge1/?Over entrance to City Dock. Cost, $13,182. Built by Bollman.
1879-c.1930Baltimore, Md., over Jones Falls and railroad tracksWarren truss2/173'9"North Street (now Guilford Avenue) Bridge. Composite trusses; cast-iron top chord and end posts; wrought-iron bottom chord and web members. Cost, $38,772.45. Built by Bollman; designed by Latrobe.
1881-1960Baltimore, Md., (Woodberry), Jones FallsWrought-iron Pratt truss1/?Union Avenue Bridge. Built by Bollman; possibly designed by him.
?-?Harpers Ferry, Va., Arsenal CanalBollman through truss1/148'Arsenal Branch, B. & O. RR. Skew type. Span length is that of previous timber span.
?-?Baltimore, Md., Gwynns FallsBollman through truss2/?B. & O. RR.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A history and description of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad by a citizen of Baltimore. Baltimore, 1853.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. A list of the officers and employees of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for November, 1857. Baltimore, 1857.

----. Third annual report of the president and directors to the stockholders of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Company. Baltimore: 1829. (Also the fourth through 38th annual reports. Baltimore, 1830-1864.)

----. Baltimore and Ohio exhibits at the Century of Progress. Chicago, 1934.