Pony Truss Traditional Cache
hoosier guy: Time for someone nearby to hide a new cache.
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Drive this road today and you will cross over a modern (i.e. dull, boring, lackluster) concrete and steel bridge. But had you traveled along prior to 1993 you would have crossed an interesting Warren Pony Truss Bridge! What is a Pony Truss Bridge you ask? Well, let me illustrate.
Indiana's collection of metal truss bridges is rather large and quite diverse. However few iron bridges existed in the state prior to 1870 and covered wooden bridges, like those celebrated at the famous Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, were the norm. Then a number patents which were introduced during the 19th century provided a variety of truss designs, many of which were widely used in the United States. Railroads also began experimenting with iron bridges around 1870, due to the increased speed and weight of the locomotives over timber bridges. The use of iron spread slowly throughout the remainder of the 19th century. Eventually iron was replaced by steel as the favored building material.
Metal trusses can be categorized into three types. A through truss rises above the road and is connected by horizontal members at the top allowing one to pass through the structure. A deck truss supports the bridge only from below the road and is not visible when crossing over.
A pony truss has two sides that are elevated above the road but are not connected at the top by horizontal members. The Pony Truss Bridge that spanned this ditch was built in 1910. Its dimensions were:
Length of largest span: 65.0 ft.
Total length: 65.9 ft.
Deck width: 15.1 ft.
Click on the related web page to learn more about bridge spotting and construction. You will never look at crossing a ditch the same way again!
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(Decrypt)
Fgrryre'f Jurry Fbat.
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