Skew Arch Bridge at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

The Skew Arch Bridge is the only bridge built for the Allegheny Portage Railroad that’s purpose was for a road to pass over the rails. All other bridges were built so that the rails could pass over something else, usually water or a drainage ditch. The bridge marks the location of where the railroad intersected with the Huntington, Cambria and Indiana Turnpike Road.

The angle at which the railroad and the Turnpike Road came together was not a right angle. The road was straight, but the train tracks curved at this spot. This required the top of the bridge (the road) to be straight while the tunnel itself (train tracks) had to be slightly curved, or skewed. The curvature of the tunnel is not that noticeable, but since it isn’t straight it took some engineering to make it work.

The tunnel portion of the Skew Arch Bridge is slightly skewed to accommodate the curvature of the railroad tracks, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

The road across the top of the Skew Arch Bridge is straight, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

In addition to the bridge, there is a monument to the Allegheny Portage Railroad that was dedicated in 1934.

Monument to the Allegheny Portage Railroad at the Skew Arch Bridge, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Inscription on the Allegheny Portage Railroad Monument at the Skew Arch Bridge, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Inscription on the Allegheny Portage Railroad Monument at the Skew Arch Bridge, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Inscription on the Allegheny Portage Railroad Monument at the Skew Arch Bridge, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Inscription on the Allegheny Portage Railroad Monument at the Skew Arch Bridge, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

The Skew Arch Bridge can be reached either by vehicle or on foot. By vehicle from the Visitor Center, exit the parking lot and get back on US-22 and head west. Exit on Old Route 22 (Summit Exit) and turn left at the end of the ramp. The road begins as two lanes with no divider in the middle until you come to the Skew Arch Bridge, at which point the lanes separate and pass around the bridge. There is parking for two cars at the bridge, one of which requires a handicap parking permit.

To get to the bridge on foot from the Visitor Center, take the boardwalk located at the back of the building and follow it to the Engine House 6 and Lemon House exhibits. From there a half-mile trail leads downhill to the bridge (.75 mile from the Visitor Center). A wayside exhibit identifies it as the Skew Arch Bridge Trail, but it is also the northern trailhead for the 6 to 10 Trail. The terrain is quite steep at times, with the steepest section coming right at the start. Overall, it is a moderate descent, and a moderate ascent if you are coming the other way.

Start of the trail to the Skew Arch Bridge, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Typical terrain of the trail to the Skew Arch Bridge (view hiking back up the hill from the bridge), Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

The trail dead ends into a gravel road at the bottom of the hill. If all you want to do is see the bridge, the quickest way to get there is to take a right and walk out to Old Route 22, which is just a few hundred feet to the right. The bridge is across the street. The round-trip hike is about 1.5 miles, downhill one way and uphill on the way back. If you are hiking the 6 to 10 Trail, take a left on the gravel road. The trail also comes out on Old Route 22 just across from the bridge, but the walk is a little longer.

Gravel road at the end of the trail to the the Skew Arch Bridge, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

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