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Long Bridge
Potomac River Railroad Bridge
This is one of the oldest surviving structures across the Potomac at Washington. The Long Bridge, spanning the Potomac River between Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Virginia, has served as a vital rail link since its original incarnation in 1809. Initially built for foot, horse, and stagecoach traffic, it evolved through multiple reconstructions to accommodate rail transport, with the current steel truss structure dating back to 1904. Today, it carries CSX freight, Amtrak, and Virginia Railway Express trains, but operates at near full capacity during peak hours.
To address the bottleneck, the Long Bridge Project is underway, constructing a parallel two-track rail bridge and a separate bike-pedestrian span to enhance connectivity and reduce congestion. Once complete, the new infrastructure will double rail capacity and improve multimodal access between Virginia and the District.
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Contact Information
National Railway Historical Society
P.O. Box 230
Savage MD 20763
703-273-8440
Website