| Plate Girder Bridge 
Mineral Creek crossing near Silverton 1995.
Plate
girder bridges carry their load with two heavy beams made from sections of
steel plate that are welded together. The plates are stiffened against
buckling by welding ribs at a regular spacing along the sides of the
plates. The main beams with structural
angles added on top and bottom to form an "I" beam shape. Smaller plate girders
then span transversely between the main beams. Finally, smaller rolled I shapes span
longitudinally between the transverse beams and these longitudinal beams support the track
ties and rails.
The
Mineral Creek bridge near Silverton
is a combination structure consisting of a plate girder bridge on the west
side and a low wooden trestle to the east. The original plate girder span was constructed
in 1907 and served on the Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek District until it was moved
to its present location in 1916.
   
  
See Also:
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