Canton Viaduct
Canton Viaduct is a blind arcade cavity wall in Canton, Massachusetts, built in 1834–35 for the Boston and Providence Railroad.
Canton Viaduct | |
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A west side view of the Canton Viaduct looking south with the former Paul Revere Copper Rolling Mill in the background, April 1977 | |
| Coordinates | 42°09′32″N 71°09′14″W |
| Carries | 2 tracks (standard gauge) presently serving:
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| Crosses |
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| Locale | Canton, Massachusetts |
| Other name(s) | Great Stone Bridge, Viaduct at Canton |
| Maintained by | Amtrak owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
| Heritage status |
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| Characteristics | |
| Design | Blind arcade cavity wall |
| Material |
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| Total length | 615' |
| Width | 26'-28' (foundations), 22'-24' walls |
| Height | 60' above river level, 70' maximum height |
| Longest span | 2 at 28' (granite/concrete deck arches over the granite roadway portal) |
| No. of spans | 71 total |
| Piers in water | 7 (15 on land) |
| Clearance above | Approximately 21' |
| History | |
| Designer | William Gibbs McNeill, Chief Engineer for the Boston & Providence Railroad (B&P) |
| Construction start | April 20, 1834 |
| Opened | July 28, 1835 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 106 trains per day |
Canton Viaduct | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Location | Neponset and Walpole Sts., Canton, Massachusetts |
| Built | 1834 |
| Architect | McNeill, William Gibbs; Dodd & Baldwin |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002870 |
| Added to NRHP | September 20, 1984 |
| Location | |
At its completion, it was the longest (615 ft [187 m]) and tallest (70 ft [21 m]) railroad viaduct in the world; today, it is the last surviving viaduct of its kind. It has been in continuous service for 188 years; it now carries high-speed passenger and freight rail service. It supports a train deck about 65 feet (20 m) above the Canton River that passes through six semi-circular portals.
The Canton Viaduct was the final link built for the B&P's then 41-mile (66 km) mainline between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. Today, the viaduct serves Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, as well as Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Providence/Stoughton Line commuter trains. It is located 0.3 miles (0.5 km) south of Canton Junction, at milepost 213.74 (at the north end of the viaduct) reckoned from Pennsylvania Station in New York City, and at the MBTA's milepost 15.35, reckoned from South Station in Boston.