User:FMCDH

FMCDH
— Wikipedian —
Country	USA
Current location	AZ
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Education	Bachelor of Science in Building Construction Technology
Interests
	Astrophysics; Bunkers; Industrial Archaeology; Safe Rooms Designer/Builder; Scale Modeling; Title II Weapons; ; Contributor: Canton - Postcard History Series by George T. Comeau, Esq., 2009; Canton Viaduct (traffic statistics); Frederick S. Holmes (traffic statistics); Collectible Stocks And Bonds From North American Railroads: Guide With Prices, 2nd Edition by Terry Cox, 2003; Computer Aided Collaboration For Managing Construction Projects by Dr. Burcin Becerik Gerber, 2006; ;
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Joined	February 21, 2009
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Significance

What makes the Canton Viaduct special? - In a word, design. For a different frame of reference, I showed my 4-year-old daughter pictures of the Canton Viaduct and the Thomas Viaduct, side by side. I then asked her what the difference between them was and she said, "I can see through this one and I can't see through that one." I asked her why and she said, "Because this one has big holes in it and that one doesn't. That pretty much sums it up but for a more seasoned perspective I submit the following:

The Canton Viaduct is an archetype - It was the only known blind arcade cavity wall structure in the US and maybe the only one in the world. Rumors of two other viaducts modeled after the Canton Viaduct were built on the Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway have never been confirmed - if they do not exist then the bridge is truly one of a kind. It is often compared to the Thomas Viaduct but they are not comparable since their primary support systems are vastly different - walls vs. arches, solid vs. open. Also, referring to the structure as a 'multiple arch bridge' or 'viaduct' is inaccurate but unchallenged due to historic precedent.

The Canton Viaduct is over-engineered - From a structural perspective using parallel walls or even a single wall to span a valley is overkill, the Romans knew this more than 2,000 years ago. It was most likely designed this way due to fear of the unknown. The designers were tasked with building the longest and tallest railroad bridge in the world to carry a new mode of transportation over a valley and a river on a curve. All great designs are imitated but the viaduct never was... If the Canton Viaduct were built with penetrating semi-circular deck arches ILO non-penetrating segmental deck arches, the walls could have been eliminated. However, over-engineering is what saved the Canton Viaduct from the wrecking ball. If it was built with arches instead of walls it would not have been strong enough to withstand the forces of high-speed rail and the amount of strengthening required would not have preserved its historic integrity and would have been cost prohibitive. Luckily, the structure was strong enough (with some modifications) to withstand the forces of high-speed rail, otherwise if would have been replaced with a concrete or steel bridge. The Thomas Viaduct (1835) and Starrucca Viaduct (1847) are classic examples of true arch bridges and are still standing.

The Canton Viaduct is an optical illusion - The bridge looks solid but it is hollow. The deck arches appear to penetrate the walls to meet the deck arches on the opposite side, but they do not. The buttresses appear to penetrate the walls but they do not. The deck arched and buttresses are only tied to the walls with stones.

The Canton Viaduct is mysterious - The foundation stone has yet to be uncovered (in the northeast corner) which should contain a Masonic time capsule...during construction one of the Irish leaders may have been killed in a brawl with Scottish masons...there are rumors of horses buried inside, perhaps Charlie, the first passenger...the viaduct's Russian cousins have yet to be located...one of the workers said the viaduct was doomed after an arch stone fell out in 1909 - five years later he met his fate on the bridge...what is the significance of April 20th? Paul Revere founded the Revere Copper Rolling Mill in Canton on April 20, 1801, The Canton Viaduct's foundation stone was laid on April 20, 1834 (exactly 33 years later) and the Revere Copper Mill sesquicentennial (150 year) plaque was dedicated on April 20, 1951 (exactly 117 years later). Paul Revere was a Freemason and a significant date in Freemasonry is April 20, 1292 when Jacques de Molay was elected the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar...

The Canton Viaduct has many unanswered questions -
- Do the Freemason symbols have meanings other than stone cutter's identification?
- Who were the stone cutters and what were their stories?
- How was the viaduct built? The construction plans and contract have never been located.
- Were any workers killed during construction?
- How is the inscription on the boulder in Viaduct Park related to the viaduct?
- Why was the additional roadway portal built so much smaller and narrower than the original roadway portal? It is narrower due to the distance between the buttresses. The concrete arch's spring line was built to match the original roadway arch's spring line which gave the arch a semi-circular shape. However, if they had matched the keystone height of the original roadway arch and not added concrete side walls, they could have maintained the semi-circular arch shape and provided enough height to prevent vehicle collisions.
- Why was the additional roadway portal built from concrete in lieu of granite to match the original roadway portal? I suspect it was cheaper and easier, but it failed to preserve the historical integrity.
- Why were the pedestrian portals and roadway portal renovations abandoned in 1941?
- Why does the viaduct remain unprotected from continuous vehicle collisions even though it is supposed to be protected from such damage with its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places?
- Who are the B&P RR directors on the dedication stone and what are their stories?
- How are handicapped or elderly persons supposed to travel under the viaduct?

These are just a few of the many questions remaining to be answered about this magnificent and unique structure. The Canton Viaduct will celebrate its 200th anniversary on Sunday, July 28, 2035."

- Canton Historian George Comeau adds,
  "For me it is the combination of great engineering and the fact that it is still in use long after it was built. It is a structure that stands at the beginning of our transportation history in America and has great stories associated with it. Finally, it helped define what was possible in Canton and drove industry, growth, and immigrants to our town. The Viaduct is a very cool bridge - not only for the railroad, but also to our past."

Safety

16,400 vehicles pass under the Canton Viaduct per day, that's almost 6 million vehicles per year.
106 trains pass over the Canton Viaduct per day (excluding freight traffic), that's almost 40,000 passenger trains per year.
Many believe it is safer to cross over the viaduct (due to the 4' walkways on top) than to pass under it on the single, narrow sidewalk with no vehicle barrier. Pedestrians attempting to pass under the viaduct in the north vehicle portal are literally sharing the road with vehicles as there is no sidewalk, just a curb.
Since 1941 (12 years before the second roadway portal was added) bridge owners have been unwilling to add pedestrian portals next to the roadway portals. This preventable risk will be viewed as gross negligence when a pedestrian is injured or worse, from colliding with a vehicle in the narrow passages.
Some truck drivers avoid the northbound passage by waiting until there is no traffic in the southbound lane, then hastily driving the wrong way through the larger portal. These drivers do not use cones or flares to warn southbound drivers on Neponset St, Walpole St or the electrical sub-station of the potential head-on collision.
Fishing - A fish consumption advisory is in effect for this section of the Canton River due to heavy metal (lead and copper) and high PCB levels from more than 100 years of contamination by industries located adjacent to the river. One of these industries is the Plymouth Rubber Co.; a Superfund site, EPA ID: MAD001009950. Estimates to clean up the Plymouth Rubber Co. site, including the river, are between $6 and 20 million.

The numerous safety issues, lack of any public parking or available land in the area are key reasons why there are no school field trips, tours or a visitor's center for this historic landmark.

Resources

Since 1953 at least three trucks a day got stuck in the bridge but after the Neponset St. improvements in 1999 the frequency was reduced to one truck every other day. This equates to the bridge being struck over 52,000 times in the last 57 years resulting in millions of dollars spent by the town of Canton for their emergency services. When police, fire fighters and paramedics are utilized for these routine calls they are unable to service other community needs. Local authorities redirect all traffic through the larger roadway portal while fire fighters stand by as drivers lower the air pressure in their tires until the vehicle can slowly pass through. In severe cases tow trucks are dispatched to reposition the trucks while rescue crews extract the wedged vehicles to an angle that allows them to move. Once the vehicle passes through all tires must be reinflated so the driver can safely proceed from the arch. Once free, drivers depart without paying to restore the damage caused this national historic treasure.

Critical infrastructure

In 2002, former Canton Police Chief Peter Bright wrote,
"Canton should be considered a target for terrorists. During training scenarios, MEMA often uses the destruction of the Neponset River viaduct as a worst-case situation for disruption of the national railroad system. The only producer of smallpox vaccine in the Western Hemisphere (Acambis) housed in Canton. The son of the President of Pakistan (Pervez Musharraf) also lives in town. The Federal Government considers each of these a high-risk target. If any group decides that these targets warrant an attack, a simultaneous attack on the Town's police and 9-1-1 communications would greatly enhance havoc..."

This letter is public record, available at the Canton Police Department and Canton's Board of Selectmen.

Cornerstone

The Cornerstone weighs 3,780 lbs (almost 2 tons).
Freemasons placed time capsules in foundation stones, containing memorial items from 1834. Time capsules from this period were typically copper boxes (solder sealed) placed in a chamber within the stone.

Geometry

The overall length is 615', built on a one-degree horizontal curve. If extended, this curvature would form a circle 42 miles in circumference with a 6.7 mile radius (13.3 mile in diameter). The height or bow of the arc is 16" from end to end, which makes the wall and deck spans on the east side longer than on the west side, producing a slight wedge shape between the piers.

Classification

The Canton Viaduct is an archetype whose classification is somewhat confusing as it has been described as a "multiple arch bridge". Bridges are classified by their main support system, which in the Canton Viaduct's case are two parallel walls. Wikipedia offers the following definitions:

An arch is, "a structure that spans a space while supporting weight (e.g. a doorway in a stone wall)."
A bridge is, "a structure built to span a valley, road, body of water, or other physical obstacle, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle."
An arch bridge is "a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch."
A span is, "the distance between two intermediate supports for a structure, e.g. a beam or a bridge."
A viaduct is, "a bridge composed of several small spans."

None of these definitions fit the Canton Viaduct well, the most accurate description is a combination of elements consisting of a blind arcade and a cavity wall - the first and possibly only time these two elements were used in bridge design.

Anniversary celebrations

Celebration details for the Canton Viaduct's previous anniversaries are unknown:

25th - Saturday, July 28th 1860
50th - Tuesday, July 28th 1885
75th - Thursday, July 28th 1910
100th - Sunday, July 28th 1935
125th - Thursday, July 28th 1960

150th

Sunday, July 28th, 1985, festivities included:

An antique car festival
Patriotic bunting on each arch
Private parties with a large Viaduct-shaped cake
A parade from Cobb's Corner (near Dunbar's quarry) to Canton Junction (2.2 miles)

All events were coordinated by local Historian George Comeau with about $5,000 in private donations.

175th

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010. A committee was established in 2009 with members from the Canton Historical Commission and Canton Public Library Trustees to plan the celebration.

Canton Viaduct anniversary events will be held on a Sunday in October 2010, date to be deteremined.
The last Canton Viaduct anniversary planning meeting was May 6th at 7:00 PM in the Canton Public Library. The next planning meeting is to be determined.

Fundraising - Setup accounts to receive event donations at the Canton Historical Commission, Canton Historical Society and Blue Hill Masonic Lodge. Solicit contributions from local businesses and organizations especially those currently (or previously) using the Canton Viaduct's image or likeness in their logos or marketing:

Advertising - Create event flyers for posting on the web and local and regional newspapers.
Recording - All events/activities should be filmed and reported for TV, newspaper and web distribution: Canton Citizen, Canton Journal, Patriot Ledger, Boston Globe-South Regional section, Cable 8, etc.)

Here are some ideas under consideration:

Masonic Memorial:

Blue Hill Lodge in Canton, MA is sponsoring a Masonic memorial in Canton Viaduct Park in honor of the bridge builders. The memorial will copnsist of an 8' tall granite obelisk which will serve as a sundial and contain a time capsule beneath it to be opened on the Canton Viaduct's 300th anniversary in 2135. Granite for the monument could come from Moyles quarry (in Sharon, MA) where large, unused blocks of granite were cut for the Canton Viaduct by Scottish Freemasons in 1835.
Conduct a Masonic dedication ceremony for the memorial performed by the Scottish Kilwinning Club of Boston in kilts, with drummer and bagpipes.
Add a sidewalk from the north side of the waterfall to Canton Viaduct Park to provide safe pedestrian access to the memorial.
Add lighting at the monument so it visible at night.
Catalog and re-paint Mason's marks on the bridge shown here. Re-painting would occur every 5th year on July 28th by the York Rite Royal Arch Chapter Masons.

Time Capsule:
The Canton Viaduct Foundation Stone was laid on Sunday April, 20 1834 by Scottish Freemasons. According to Masonic tradition, foundation stones are located in the northeast corner of structures with inscriptions such as the Masonic emblem (square and compasses) and the date; they also contain time capsules with items from that period to be opened sometime in the distant future.

Locate and remove the Foundation Stone
Remove the time capsule, open it and document the contents
Store the time capsule and contents at the Canton Historical Society
Replace the original time capsule with a modern time capsule.
Document the new contents and seal the time capsule for 125 years, the Canton Viaduct's 300th anniversary.
Place the time capsule in the Foundation Stone and seal it
Engrave the Foundation Stone with the Masonic symbol (square and compasses) and the date the Foundation Stone was laid, April 20, 1834 if it's not already engraved.
Add a bronze plaque at the Foundation Stone to describe the time capsule and opening date - Thursday, July 28th 2135

Lecture program:
Conduct a lecture program where a panel of speakers discuss the bridge's historical importance -

NRHP representative -
Irish Cultural Center representative -
National Heritage Museum representative -
Canton Historical Society representatives -
Borderland State Park representative - Bill Hocking
National political figure - Congressman Stephen Lynch
Current owner's representative MBTA - Chariman John Jenkins
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Deputy Director - Karen Rae
State political figures - Representative Bill Galvin and Senator Brian Joyce
State Civil Engineering representative BSCES - President Robert Stephens
Local Freemason representative from the Blue Hill Masonic Lodge - Master John Ciccotelli
National Civil Engineering representative from the ASCE - Director Anthony Puntin
Original builders relative Dorothy Kemper, descendant of B&P Chief Engineer, William Gibbs McNeill
State Freemason representative from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts - Grand Master Roger Pageau
Original owners relatives John Wales and Thomas Beals Wales, descendaents of B&P President, Thomas Beals. Wales
Local political figures - Canton's Board of Selectmen: Gerald Salvatori, Victor Del Vecchio, John Connolly, Avril Elkort, Robert Burr
Canton Historical Commission representatives: Wally Gibbs, James Fitzpatrick, Michael Nourse, Maryanne Byrne, George Comeau, John Burke, Kathi Keith, Patricia Johnson, Thomas Keleher

Parade:
Have a parade starting at Cobbs Corner (near Dunbar's quarry) and ending at Canton Junction (2.2 miles) with members from these groups -

Canton Historical Commission
Canton Historical Society
Sharon Historical Society
The Freemason society
Irish Cultural Center
Borderland State Park
Amtrak
MBTA
ASCE

Canton Viaduct book:

Publish the book, A History Of Canton Viaduct, 1835 - 2010.
Create a young readers version of the Canton Viaduct book with extensively illustrated pen-and-ink drawings in David Macaulay's style.

Reception:
Hold a reception at the Blue Hill Masonic Lodge

Create a Viaduct-themed cake
Have book signings:
- A History of Canton Junction by Edward D. Galvin, 1987
- Canton: A Postcard History by George T. Comeau, 2009
- A History Of Canton Viaduct, 1835 - 2010 by Ed Costanza, 2010
Show videos of the Canton Viaduct with commentary:
- A Look Back At Canton 1939-1940 by Amateur Services Productions narrated by Ed Bolster
- Viaduct a movie by George T. Comeau, 1987
- Inside the Viaduct by Canton's Cable 8, 1995
- ASCE National Historic Civil Engineering Landdmark Dedication of the Canton Vaiduct by Canton's Cable 8, 1999

Other ideas:

Add patriotic bunting at each deck arch on the west side only.
Add a large banner that reads, "Canton Viaduct 175th Anniversary" above the roadway portals on each side.
Conduct a guided tour of the Canton Viaduct grounds, explaining the history, Mason's Marks, Canton Viaduct Park, etc.
Create commemorative items to sell at the event.
Provide tours of Moyles quarry at Borderland State Park in Sharon, MA.
Install wayside exhibits with granite benches (dressed to match the bridge stones) along the plaque path.
Relocate the Canton bicentennial stone to Canton Viaduct Park.
Relocate the abandoned B&P milepost in Mansfield, MA to Canton Viaduct park.
Have a concert on the land behind (east) of the bridge to honor a local family of a fallen hero with a portrait presentation of the soldier to the family.
Identify the person whose name and dates of birth and death are engraved on the boulder in Canton Viaduct Park. If the person is related to the railroad or the Canton Viaduct then have the boulder professionally engraved, otherwise relocate the boulder to a more appropriate location in Canton.
Have an Acela Express train (facing south) and a horse drawn car with horse (facing north) in the center of the bridge to show what the bridge was originally designed to carry and what it currently carries. A white horse would stand in honor of Charlie, the old work horse who hauled the empty stone railcars back to the Sharon Heights station (4 miles) in Sharon, MA.

The Thomas Viaduct will celebrate its 175th anniversary on July 4th 2010; a visitors park is being planned for the occasion.

200th

Saturday, July 28th, 2035 (bicentennial)

300th

Thursday, July 28th 2135 (tricentennial)
Time Capsule:

Remove the Foundation Stone.
Remove the time capsule, open it and document the contents.
Store the time capsule and contents at the Canton Historical Society.
Replace the time capsule with a modern time capsule.
Document the new contents and seal the time capsule for 100 years - the Canton Viaduct's 400th anniversary.
Place the time capsule in the Foundation Stone and seal it.
Add a new bronze plaque at the Foundation Stone to describing the time capsule and opening date - Tuesday, July 28th 2235.

Potential improvements

The list below contains potential improvements to the Canton Viaduct and surrounding area. (pictures)

Safety

Address all safety concerns in the area: sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting and signage.
Add lighting at Canton Viaduct monument so it is visible at night, this could also deter graffiti attacks.
Build a low granite wall (from the concrete roadway portal to the falls) to protect Canton Viaduct Park visitors.
Enlarge the concrete roadway portal to accommodate large trucks. Match the original roadway portal by using a semi-circular granite arch design.
Due to the "stuck truck in the viaduct" problem, add signs on approaches to the viaduct directing truck traffic to/from the town center to use Chapman St. as a by-pass route.
Add pedestrian portals next to the roadway portals:
- Match the river portals by using a semi-circular granite arch design
- Add access hatches in the center of the pedestrian portals (with interior lighting) which would not compromise the structural integrity of the bridge since there is nothing to support in the cavity sections. Structural Engineers could use this access to conduct periodic inspections of the interior and underside of the deck.
- Remove the "safety shelf" in the original portal in the southbound lane of Neponset St.
- Archeologists could excavate and examine the material at the bottom of each pedestrian portal cavity for artifacts left behind during the original construction such as tools, coins, etc.

Historical

Restore the Cornerstone to its original condition.
Add Canton Viaduct to the database of Masonic structures.
Nominate the Canton Viaduct as a National Historic Landmark.
Include the viaduct in Canton’s Historic Resources Inventory, Historic Preservation Plan and a Historic District.
Identify the person whose name and dates of birth and death are engraved on the boulder in Canton Viaduct Park.
Locate and expose the Foundation Stone; provide permanent access with a concrete apron and stairs leading to the stone.

Educational

Dedicate an area in the Canton Historical Society to Canton Viaduct history.
Develop educational materials and methods to explain the history of the viaduct.
Build a Canton Viaduct visitor's center with an observation deck and provide tours.
Create a Canton Viaduct DVD with Viaduct, Inside the Viaduct and the Canton Viaduct Dedication ceremony.
Add interpretive plaques at Dunbar's quarry and Moyles quarry describing their historical connection with Canton Viaduct.
Create another Canton Viaduct model (from Lego's) to display in the Blue Hill Masonic Lodge enclosed in a Plexiglas case with an information panel describing the model, the history of the bridge and the Freemason's involvement in its inception, design and construction.
Add permanent interior access to one bridge cavity with interior lighting, sealed with a door. Match the river portals by using a semi-circular granite arch design. Excavate and examine the material at the bottom of the cavity for artifacts left behind during the original construction such as tools, coins, etc.
Identify the bridge with "Canton Viaduct 1835" signs on the islands between the roadway portals. The sign and plaque in Canton Viaduct Park are too small for passing motorists to read so people unfamiliar with the bridge pass under without knowing the name or age of this historic landmark.
Dedicate an area in the Canton Public Library to Canton Viaduct history:
- Move the Canton Viaduct model (currently on display in the Canton Public Library's Reference room) from the top of the bookshelf to a table for easier viewing
- Encase the model in Plexiglas
- Add an information panel describing the model and the bridge's historical importance.

Access

Add public parking in the area.
Create the.
The former Plymouth Rubber site could be redeveloped and in doing so preserve scenic views of the viaduct.
Add a sidewalk from the north side of the waterfall to Canton Viaduct Park to provide safe pedestrian access to the Canton Viaduct monument.
Develop the Canton Riverfront Trail for pedestrians with park benches and river access; this trail could connect with the Warner Trail.

Recreational

Improve the water quality of the Canton River to promote fishing in the area.

Æsthetical

Add waterfall lighting.
Add lights under the river portals.
Add a row of lights along the bridge deck.
Add in-ground lights under the deck arches.
Add catenary lights between the catenary poles.
Remove trees/shrubs and bury utility lines in the area to provide unobstructed views of the bridge.

Continued research

Compile death toll.
Locate the "first stone" of the B&P.
Locate the original building plans and specifications.
Calculate quantity of granite, weight of structure and volume of air space.
Locate the plans and specifications created by Russian engineers when studying the Canton Viaduct in 1840.
Identify the two bridges of similar design (by George Washington Whistler) on the railroad from Moscow to St. Petersburg in Russia.

Links

Remove interior scaffolding to improve ability to inspect interior. If scaffolding is embedded, then remove and fill holes with concrete. Preserve scaffolding for souveniors/crafts for fund raising to maintain CV grounds.

Built by Scottish Freemasons Purchase land and homes around the viaduct, relocate home and business owners, clear land for visibility Review all deleted material from other editors for possible editing and inclusion Review questions in xl files

Disclaimer

This page may include thoughts, facts, opinions, experiences, speculation, ideas, arguments, conclusions, and analysis for Wikipedia articles. This page also serves as my "to do list" for works in progress, reminders and useful links