Pier Bridge
No. 57
Built for the Boston and Maine Railroad, the Pier Bridge is a 228-foot covered railroad bridge spanning the Sugar River in Newport. It is the longest surviving covered railroad bridge in the world. The massive double Town lattice trusses were designed to accommodate steam locomotives and can support loads of up to 320,000 pounds.
In 1987, Wright Construction Co., Inc. of Mount Holly, Vermont, completed repairs that included a new sheet-metal roof and replacement of deteriorated roof rafters. In 2005, Bayview Construction Corporation repaired the center pier after significant scour. Additional structural repairs and fire protection were completed as part of a joint rehabilitation project with Wright’s Bridge beginning in 2010. The bridge is now part of the Sugar River Recreational Rail Trail.
Pier Bridge Photo Album
Boston & Maine Railroad Podcast Episode
The Covered Bridges of the Boston & Maine Railroad with Rick Kfoury
Kim speaks with Rick Kfoury, President of the Boston and Maine Railroad Historical Society. Rick shares insight into New Hampshire’s remaining covered railroad bridges, the influence of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and the historical context behind these rare surviving structures.
