View source for Canton Viaduct

{{Short description|Railroad viaduct in Massachusetts, U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox bridge
| name = Canton Viaduct
| image = Canton Viaduct.jpg
| caption = A west side view of the Canton Viaduct looking south with the former [[Revere Copper Company|Paul Revere Copper Rolling Mill]] in the background, April 1977
| official_name = 
| other_name = Great Stone Bridge, Viaduct at Canton
| carries = 2 tracks ([[standard gauge]]) presently serving:
*[[Amtrak]]'s [[Northeast Corridor]] (intercity passenger)
*[[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority|MBTA]]'s [[Providence/Stoughton Line]] (commuter)
*[[CSX]]'s [[Boston Subdivision]] (freight)
| crosses = 
*[[Canton River (United States)|Canton River]] (at Mill Pond)
*Canton River [[Valley]]
*Neponset Street
| locale = [[Canton, Massachusetts]]
| owner = [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]] (MBTA)
| maint = Amtrak
| id = 
| designer = [[William Gibbs McNeill]], Chief Engineer for the [[Boston & Providence Railroad]] (B&P)
| design = [[Blind arcade]] [[cavity wall]]
| material =
* Walls - Granite
* Deck - Reinforced concrete
| spans = 71 total
| pierswater=7 (15 on land)
| mainspan=2 at 28' (granite/concrete deck arches over the granite roadway portal)
| length=615'
| width = 26'-28' (foundations), 22'-24' walls
| height = 60' above river level, 70' maximum height
| load = 
| clearance = Approximately 21'
| below = 
| traffic = 106 trains per day
| begin = April 20, 1834
| complete =
| open = July 28, 1835
| preceded =
| followed =
| heritage = 
*[[National Register of Historic Places]] (1984)
*[[National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark]] (1998)
| collapsed =
| closed =
| toll =
| coordinates = {{Coord|42|09|32|N|71|09|14|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| extra =
{{Infobox NRHP
| name                 = Canton Viaduct
| embed                = yes
| nrhp_type            =
| image                =
| caption              =
| location             = Neponset and Walpole Sts., [[Canton, Massachusetts]]
| built                = 1834
| architect = McNeill, William Gibbs; Dodd & Baldwin
| architecture         =
| added                = September 20, 1984
 <!--  | area = {{convert|2|acre}} -->
| refnum               = 84002870<ref name="nris">{{NRISref |refnum=84002870|version=2010a}}</ref>
}} }}

'''Canton Viaduct''' is a [[blind arcade]] [[cavity wall]] in [[Canton, Massachusetts]], built in 1834–35 for the [[Boston and Providence Railroad]].<ref>
{{cite news
| url= http://www.wickedlocal.com/canton/topstories/x959534740/Canton-Viaduct-175-and-still-chugging-along
| title= Canton Viaduct: 175 and still chugging along
| date= July 22, 2010
| first= Candace
| last= Hall
| work= [[Canton Journal]]
}}</ref>

At its completion, it was the longest ({{convert|615|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=sqbr}}) and tallest ({{convert|70|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=sqbr}}) railroad viaduct in the world; today, it is the last surviving viaduct of its kind.  It has been in continuous service for {{age|1835|07|28}} years; it now carries high-speed passenger and freight rail service. It supports a train deck about {{convert|65|ft|m}} above the [[Canton River (United States)|Canton River]] that passes through six semi-circular [[Portal (architecture)|portals]].

The Canton Viaduct was the final link built for the B&P's then {{convert|41|mi|km|adj=on}} mainline between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island.<ref>Not the current distance, due to later route changes.</ref>  Today, the viaduct serves [[Amtrak]]'s [[Northeast Corridor]], as well as [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]] (MBTA) [[Providence/Stoughton Line]] commuter trains.  It is located {{convert|0.3|miles|km}} south of [[Canton Junction (MBTA station)|Canton Junction]], at milepost 213.74 (at the north end of the viaduct)<ref>{{cite web |url= https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/2761/nectp-vol2.pdf |title= The Northeast Corridor Transportation Plan—New York City to Boston—Report to Congress—Volume 2—Appendices B Through O |date= July 1994 |publisher= [[Federal Railroad Administration]] |page= C-11 }}</ref> reckoned from Pennsylvania Station in New York City.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://nec-commission.com/app/uploads/2022/11/FY23-27-Capital-Investment-Plan-02-Appendix-Oct-22.pdf |title= Project Information Appendix—Northeast Corridor Capital Investment Plan—Fiscal Years 2023-2027 |date= October 2022 |publisher= [[Northeast Corridor Commission]] |pages= C-10 & E-5 }}</ref><!-- C-10 says 213.6, E-5 says 213.74, and these are measured coming from the south, so it's reasonable to assume 213.74 is the north end --><!-- and at the MBTA's milepost 15.35, reckoned from South Station in Boston. -->

==Inception==
[[File:Canton Viaduct Section.jpg|thumb|left|A partial isometric elevation of the Canton Viaduct with the deck removed; there are 21 [[cavity wall|cavities]] in the viaduct]]
The Canton Viaduct was erected in 1835 by the Boston and Providence Railroad shortly after its founding in 1831. It was designed by William Gibbs McNeill, a Captain in the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]] and [[West Point]] graduate. He was assisted by engineers, [[George Washington Whistler]] (McNeill's brother-in-law), [[Isaac Ridgeway Trimble]] and [https://books.google.com/books?id=31wSAAAAYAAJ&dq=william+raymond+lee+providence+railroad&pg=PA28 William Raymond Lee]. McNeill and Whistler were the uncle and father of the artist [[James McNeill Whistler]]. The viaduct was built by '''Dodd & Baldwin'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ma/norfolk/state.html|title=MASSACHUSETTS - Norfolk County|publisher=[[National Register of Historic Places]]|access-date=March 25, 2020}}</ref> from Pennsylvania; the firm was established by cousins Ira Dodd and Caleb Dodd Baldwin. Around this time, Russia was interested in building railroads.  Tsar Nicholas I sent workmen to draw extensive diagrams of the Canton Viaduct.  He later summoned Whistler to Russia as a consulting engineer to design the [[Moscow–Saint Petersburg Railway]], on which two viaducts were modeled after the Canton Viaduct.  A scale model viaduct of similar design is on display at the Oktyabrsky Railroad Museum in St. Petersburg.

==Design and construction==

=== Classification ===
This Canton Viaduct is the only known structure using [[blind arcade]]s in combination with a [[cavity wall]] to form a hollow bridge. Although the deck arches appear to extend through to the other side, they do not; each deck arch is only four feet deep.  The deck arches support the [[spandrel]]s, deck (extending beyond the walls), [[Coping (architecture)|coping]] and [[parapet]]s; they are adjacent to the longitudinal walls.  The only arches extending through the viaduct to the other side are six river portals and two roadway portals.  The 20 '[[buttress]]es' are also unique in that they extend through to the other side, so they are actually [[Transversal (geometry)|transverse]] walls.

===Materials===
[[File:Canton Viaduct 1835.ogv|275px|thumb|Video of the west side of Canton Viaduct sweeping from north to south - ''no sound'']]

The Canton Viaduct contained 14,483 cubic feet (15,800 [[Perch (unit of measure)|perches]]) of granite, which weighs approximately {{convert|66000000|lb|ST|lk=out}} prior to its concrete redecking in 1993. Each stone has a [[Mason's mark]] to identify who cut the stone. Each course is 22" - 24" high and laid in a pattern closely resembling a [[Flemish bond]]. Exterior stone for the walls, [[wing wall]] [[abutment]]s, portals, deck arches, coping, parapets and the foundation stone are [[riebeckite]] granite<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-south/borderland-park-nature-and-science.html|title=Nature and Science|last=Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation|date=2013-04-05|website=Borderlands Park|access-date=2016-05-29|archive-date=2016-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531130630/http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/massparks/region-south/borderland-park-nature-and-science.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> mined from Moyles quarry (a.k.a. Canton Viaduct Quarry) located on the westerly slope of Rattlesnake Hill in Sharon, Massachusetts; now part of [[Borderland State Park]].

===Location===
[[File:Canton Viaduct Foundation Plan and Elevation.PNG|thumb|left|Canton Viaduct foundation plan and west elevation]]
The majority of the viaduct is over land (71%), while 29% is over water. In addition to the six river portals, one roadway portal was originally provided.  The distance between the transverse walls at this section is wider than all the other sections of the viaduct.  The overall length is {{convert|615|ft|m}} with a one degree horizontal curve that creates two concentric arcs. This makes the west wall slightly shorter than the east wall producing a slight keystone shape in the cavities.  Originally unnamed, it was referred to as "the great stone bridge" and "the viaduct at Canton" before it was eventually named after the town. The [[Cornerstone|foundation stone]] was laid on Sunday, April 20, 1834 in the northeast corner with a Masonic [[Builders' rites]] ceremony.

===Construction===
[[File:Canton Viaduct Masons Marks.jpg|thumb|left|A random sample of Canton Viaduct [[Mason's mark]]s; there are thousands of stones in the structure and each has a symbol to identify who cut the stone.]]
The Canton Viaduct cost $93,000 to build (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|93,000|1835|r=0}}}} today{{Inflation-fn|US}}). Construction took 15 months, 8 days from laying of the foundation stone on April 20, 1834, to completion on July 28, 1835.

The transverse walls are 5 feet, 6 inches wide.  The wing wall abutments are 25 feet wide where they meet the viaduct; they are curved and stepped and were excavated by [[William Otis]] using his first [[steam shovel]].  From the top of the wing walls to midway down, the stones are of 2' wide; from midway down to the bottom of the wing walls the stones are 4' wide.  The west wing walls served as staircases for passengers to ascend and descend while the viaduct was being constructed.  These wing wall stones have holes drilled in them where railings were attached.

The coping is supported by 42 segmental deck arches (21 on each side) that span the tops of 20 transverse walls beyond the longitudinal walls.  The longitudinal walls are five feet thick with a four-foot gap between them joined with occasional tie stones.  More construction details are available in the original [[Media:Canton Viaduct Specifications.pdf|specifications]].  When the viaduct had a single set of tracks, the rails were placed directly over the longitudinal walls as the cavity's width is less than [[standard gauge]].  When the viaduct was double tracked in 1860, the inside rails were placed directly over the longitudinal walls and the outside rails were supported by the deck arches.

The viaduct was "substantially complete" in June 1835 from various accounts of horse-drawn cars passing over it during that time.  The viaduct was built before the advent of construction safety equipment such as hard hats and fall arrest devices.  Surprisingly, no deaths were recorded during the construction, but deaths have occurred at the viaduct since completion; mainly from people crossing it while trains passed in opposite directions.  Charlie, the old white horse who had hauled the empty railcars back to Sharon, Massachusetts (4 miles), was placed upon a flat car and hauled across the viaduct by the workers, thus becoming the first "passenger" to cross the structure.

A June 6, 1835, [[wikiquote:Canton Viaduct|article]] in the ''[[Providence Journal]]'' describes it.  As reported by the ''Boston Advertiser'' and the ''Providence Journal'',  "Whistler" was the first engine to pass over the entire length of the road.

An iron parapet was placed on the viaduct in 1878.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/reportboarddire01limigoog/page/n96 |title=Report of the Board of Directors of the Boston and Providence Railroad Corporation for the Year Ending September 30, 1878 |page=8 |publisher=Boston and Providence Railroad |year=1878}}</ref>

Aside from seasonal vegetation control and occasional graffiti removal, the viaduct requires no regular maintenance other than periodic bridge inspections from Amtrak.

===Dedication Stone===
[[File:Canton Viaduct Dedication Stone.jpg|left|thumb|The Canton Viaduct Dedication Stone now rests in Canton Viaduct Park on a curved wall (see gallery) over a [[Arch|keystone]] removed during the 1993 deck replacement.]]

[[File:Canton Viaduct Dedication Stone Back.jpg|thumb|Canton Viaduct Dedication Stone]]

[[File:Canton Viaduct Cornerstone.PNG|thumb|The Canton Viaduct Dedication Stone was originally laid in the west [[parapet]], south end.]]

The dedication stone's capstone, in the south end of the west [[parapet]] was the last stone to be laid in the viaduct.

The Dedication Stone is actually two stones now held together with two iron straps on each end.  The overall dimensions are approximately 60" long × 36" high × 18" wide, and it weighs approximately 3,780 lbs.  The Dedication Stone was originally topped with a 63" long × 8" high × 24" wide capstone with double [[bevel]]ed edges, creating an irregular hexagonal profile.  Due to its breaking in 1860, the Dedication Stone is about 1" shorter today than its original height.  The damage obscured two directors' names, W. W. Woolsey and [[Patrick Tracy Jackson|P. T. Jackson]].  Woolsey was also a Director of the Boston & Providence Railroad & Transportation Co. ([http://www.nhrhta.org/Historic_Dates/May%20NH%20RR%20Dates.html B&P RR&T Co.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511153927/http://www.nhrhta.org/Historic_Dates/May%20NH%20RR%20Dates.html |date=2008-05-11 }}) in Rhode Island (incorporated  May 10, 1834) which owned the Rhode Island portion of the Boston and Providence rail line.  The B&P RR&T Co. merged with the B&P on June 1, 1853.

===Railroad track===
During the 1993 deck renovation, two 18-inch-deep troughs were discovered recessed into the granite deck stones running the entire length of the viaduct and spaced at [[standard gauge]] width ({{Frac|56|1|2}} inches).  The troughs contained [[Baulk road|longitudinal baulks]] and were part of the original construction.  The baulks supported the rails without the need for transoms as the gauge was maintained by the longitudinal troughs.  This is the only known instance of transomless baulks recessed in granite slabs; the original tracks before and after the viaduct used baulks making the B&P originally a baulk railroad.  A 1910 photo taken atop the viaduct shows dirt between the cross ties and tracks, so this material may have been used before traditional gravel ballast.

Baulks were used to support strap rails or bridge rail.  These [[Rail profile|early rails]] would have been replaced with flanged T-rails by 1840.  These photos<ref name=CJ>[http://www.canton.org/junction/junction.htm Canton Historical Society: Canton Junction]</ref> show baulks at Canton Junction in 1871.  An 1829 report from the Massachusetts Board of Directors of [[Internal improvements|Internal Improvements]] describes how the railroad from Boston to Providence was to be built.  The report states, "It consists of one pair of tracks composed of long blocks of granite, about one foot square, resting upon a foundation wall extending to the depth of {{frac|2|1|2}}' below the surface of the ground, and 2' wide at the bottom".  The report also calls for using horse-drawn wagons and carriages at 3 MPH on the rail line, not steam locomotives.

===Construction sequence===
The Canton Viaduct was constructed in the following sequence:
;Planning
*Requirements, design and specifications
;Preconstruction
*Site preparation, mobilization, surveying, excavation, river diversion (using [[cofferdam]]s)
;Construction
*Wing wall abutment foundations and walls
*Temporary train platforms and wing wall abutment staircases
*Walls:
**Foundations
**Longitudinal walls with river portals and vehicle portal (using [[falsework]]) and transverse walls
**Deck arches and spandrels
**Cavity slabs and deck slabs (with longitudinal troughs) and coping
**Parapets with dedication stone
;Post Construction
*Track installation - baulks, rail and ballast
*Removal of temporary train platforms and wing wall abutment staircases
*Site cleanup and demobilization

===Waterway===
[[File:Canton Viaduct Waterfall.JPG|thumb|A west side view of the Canton Viaduct with its waterfall in the foreground.]]

[[Spillway]] Dam at Neponset Street, also known as Canton Viaduct Falls, impounds Mill Pond.  It is a [[weir]] or low head dam that is owned by the MBTA.  The 16' high by 90' long granite dam was built in 1900; as of 2009, it averages {{cvt|78|ft3/s}} annual discharge.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/annual?referred_module=sw&site_no=01105500&por_01105500_1=1267699,00060,1,1953,2009&partial_periods=on&year_type=W&format=html_table&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_form=parameter_selection_list | title=USGS Surface Water data for USA: USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics }}</ref>  Water power was supplied to nearby businesses via [[water wheel]] from the canal starting at the waterfall and continuing about 200' under the Neponset St. bridge.  There were also two channels located between the viaduct and the waterfall (one on each side) referred to as [[sluice]]s, [[headrace]]s and [[flume]]s in various maps.  They were filled in sometime after 1937 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers [https://web.archive.org/web/20190901173737/http://nid.usace.army.mil/ National Inventory of Dams] No. [[Media:USACOE NID MA03106.pdf|MA03106]]).

==Ownership==
*1834–1888, [[Boston & Providence Railroad]] Corp.
*1888–1893, [[Old Colony Railroad]] Co.
*1893–1969, [[New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad]] Co.
*1969–1973, [[Penn Central Transportation Company]]
*1973–present, [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]]

==Critical infrastructure==
*'''World War I''' - A detachment of the 9th Regiment National Guard arrived in April 1917 to guard the viaduct from sabotage, via sentry duty.
*'''World War II''' - Canton's Civil Defense Corps and railroad employees guarded the viaduct against sabotage since the train line is part of the direct link between Boston and New York City. The structure is a critical transportation link between the two cities and had extra protection as a result.
*'''War on Terrorism''' - Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 the Canton Viaduct was guarded by various security entities until the U.S. threat level decreased.

In a letter to Canton's Board of Selectmen on February 27, 2002, former Police Chief Peter Bright noted that [[Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency]] training for worst-case situations highlights the destruction of the Canton Viaduct for its disruption of the national railroad system; the Federal Government also considers the viaduct a high-risk target.<ref>Former Canton Police Chief Bright's letter is public record, available at the Canton Police Department [http://www.cantonpolice.com] and Canton's Board of Selectmen.[http://town.canton.ma.us/selectmen/selectmen.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211032217/http://www.town.canton.ma.us/selectmen/selectmen.htm |date=2009-02-11 }}</ref>

==Recognition==
[[File:BPRR Stock 1835.jpg|thumb|This B&P stock certificate was issued two months after the viaduct was completed, signed by B&P President William W. Woolsey.  Canton Viaduct was depicted in the vertical [[Vignette (philately)|vignette]] (east side) on all B&P stock certificates for from 1835 to 1950 (115 years).  The viaduct is shown with a fence/rail instead of stone parapets for an unobstructed view of the train.  The center vignette shows a paddle steamer (side wheeler) with a 24 star American flag.  The B&P also owned shipping lines as part of their transportation business.]]
[[File:Canton Viaduct Park.JPG|thumb|Canton Viaduct Park monument prior to the placement of the commemorative plaque, south of the Dedication Stone.]]
[[File:Canton Viaduct Commemorative Plaque.JPG|thumb|
The Canton Viaduct commemorative plaque.]]
*The Canton Viaduct was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1984.<ref name="nris2008">{{NRISref|2008a}}</ref>
*The viaduct has been designated a [[National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark]] in 1998 by the [[American Society of Civil Engineers]].

==Current status==
In June 2004 the town of Canton developed a Master Plan<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.town.canton.ma.us/planning/local_planning.htm |title=Planning Department  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100313045926/http://www.town.canton.ma.us/planning/local_planning.htm |archive-date=13 March 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> that identifies what should be preserved and enhanced to meet evolving needs and improve the quality of life.

==Gallery==
<gallery>

image:Canton Viaduct Wing Wall.PNG|Canton Viaduct curved, stepped [[wing wall]] [[abutment]] at the north end, west side; the Dedication Stone can be seen (above) in its former location.

File:Canton Viaduct Deck.JPG|Canton Viaduct [[Coping (architecture)|coping]] - A row of granite coping can be seen projecting 6" beyond the wall between the granite deck [[arch]]es and the new concrete deck.

</gallery>

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]
*[[List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Massachusetts]]
*[[List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts]]

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Galvin, Edward, D. (1987). ''[https://www.flickr.com/photos/cantonviaduct/sets/72157615734396768/ A History Of Canton Junction]''. Brunswick: Sculpin Publications.
*Fisher, Charles, E. (1917). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=CGzNAAAAMAAJ&q=a+little+story+of+the+boston+and+providence+railroad A Little Story Of The Boston And Providence Railroad Company]''.
*Herrin, Dean, A. (2002). ''America Transformed: Engineering And Technology In The Nineteenth Century: Selections From The Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service''. Reston: American Society of Civil Engineers. {{ISBN|978-0-7844-0529-1}}
*Cook, Richard, J. (1987). ''The Beauty Of Railroad Bridges: In North America - Then And Now''. San Marino: Golden West Books. {{ISBN|978-0-87095-097-1}}
*Cleary, Richard, L. (2007). ''Bridges''.  W.W. Norton & Co. {{ISBN|978-0-393-73136-1}}
*Cramb, Ian. (2006), ''The Art Of The Stone Mason''. Chambersburg: Hood & Co.  {{ISBN|978-0-911469-27-1}}
*Canton Bicentennial Historical Committee. (1997), ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20091029040651/http://geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/1496/book/bibook1.htm Canton Comes Of Age 1797–1997: A History Of The Town Of Canton, Massachusetts]''. Canton: The Town of Canton
*Comeau, George, T. (2009). ''Canton - Postcard History Series''. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing. {{ISBN|978-0-7385-7203-1}}
*Cox, Terry. (2003). ''Collectible Stocks And Bonds From North American Railroads: Guide With Prices''. Arvada: TCox & Associates. {{ISBN|978-0-9746485-0-7}}
*Boothroy, Stephen, J. (2002). ''Down At The Station: Rail Lines Of Southern New England In Early Postcards''. Cranberry Junction. {{ISBN|978-0-9714961-4-9}}
*Jackson, Donald, C. (1988). ''Great American Bridges And Dams''. Wiley. {{ISBN|978-0-471-14385-7}}
*Barber, John, W. (1844). ''Historical Collections, Being A General Collection Of Interesting Facts, Traditions, Biographical Sketches, etc., Relating To The History And Antiquities Of Every Town In Massachusetts, With Geographical Descriptions, Illustrated By 200 Engravings''. Heritage Books. {{ISBN|978-1-55613-463-0}}
*DeLony, Eric. (1993). ''Landmark American Bridges.'' Little Brown and Company. {{ISBN|978-0-8212-2036-8}}
*Middleton, William, D. (1999). ''Landmarks On The Iron Road: Two Centuries OF North American Railroad Engineering''. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-253-33559-3}}
*Kirkland, Edward C. (1948). ''[https://openlibrary.org/b/OL13663328M/Men_cities_and_transportation Men, Cities And Transportation - A Study In New England History 1820–1900 Volumes I-II]''. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
*National Park Service. (1995). ''National Register Of Historic Places 1966 To 1994''. Wiley. {{ISBN|978-0-471-14403-8}}
*Solomon, Brian. (2008). ''North American Railroad Bridges''. Voyageur Press. {{ISBN|978-0-7603-2527-8}}
*Adams, Charles, F. (1878). ''Railroads: Their Origin And Problems''. Ayer Co. Publishing. {{ISBN|978-0-405-13764-8}}
*Harlow, Alvin, F. (1946). ''[https://openlibrary.org/b/OL6495280M/Steelways-of-New-England Steelways Of New England]''. New York: Creative Age Press, Inc. *Rogers, Robert. (1952).
*Middleton, William D. "They're Still There: High Speed Rail's 1835 Underpinning," ''American Heritage of Invention and Technology,'' Spring 2001 Volume 16, Issue 4, pp 52–55
*Parry, Albert. (1938). ''Whistler's Father''. Foster Press. {{ISBN|978-1-4067-7594-5}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Canton Viaduct}}
{{Wikiquote|Canton Viaduct}}
*[[United States Department of Transportation|USDOT]] Crossing No. 537243N
*[[USGS]] [[GNIS]] Feature ID: {{GNIS4|1954416}}
*[[U.S. National Geodetic Survey|USNGS]] Permanent ID: [[Media:USNGS Data Sheet.pdf|MY0489]]
*The [[Thomas Viaduct]] was completed two weeks before the Canton Viaduct and would have used similar construction techniques as shown in this [https://www.google.com/search?q=thomas+viaduct+animation&sca_esv=562398817&source=hp&ei=VhL1ZKKQB5nEkPIP8pel6Ac&iflsig=AD69kcEAAAAAZPUgZh-pf-p2EPAZYKNzNuFVJUMGz_ny&ved=0ahUKEwiik6r4x4-BAxUZIkQIHfJLCX0Q4dUDCAs&uact=5&oq=thomas+viaduct+animation&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6Ihh0aG9tYXMgdmlhZHVjdCBhbmltYXRpb24yBRAhGKABSMxKUABYpEhwBHgAkAEAmAGBAaAB5BOqAQQyMy41uAEDyAEA-AEBwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAhEQLhiABBixAxiDARjHARjRA8ICCxAuGIoFGLEDGIMBwgIFEC4YgATCAggQLhiABBixA8ICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIFEAAYgATCAhMQLhiABBixAxiDARjHARjRAxgKwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYyQMYCsICEBAuGIAEGJIDGMcBGK8BGArCAgoQABiABBiSAxgKwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYCsICChAuGIAEGLEDGArCAgcQABiABBgKwgINEC4YgAQYxwEYrwEYCsICCxAuGIAEGMcBGK8BwgINEC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYCsICDRAuGIMBGLEDGIAEGArCAgsQABiKBRixAxiDAcICCxAuGIAEGLEDGIMBwgILEC4YgwEYsQMYgATCAgQQABgDwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYgwEY1ALCAg0QLhiABBjHARjRAxgKwgILEC4YrwEYxwEYgATCAgYQABgWGB4&sclient=gws-wiz#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:a2a743e4,vid:0HUQZMtOoHkanimated video].

{{Bridge footer}}
{{NRHP bridges}}
{{MBTA}}
{{Railway electrification}}
{{Rail tracks}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts}}

[[Category:Bridges completed in 1835]]
[[Category:Blind arcade cavity wall bridges]]
[[Category:Railroad bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Bridges over the Neponset River]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Canton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Bridges in Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:CSX Transportation bridges]]
[[Category:Dams in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Deck arch bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks]]
[[Category:Landmarks in Canton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Masonic memorials]]
[[Category:MBTA Commuter Rail]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad bridges]]
[[Category:Old Colony Railroad]]
[[Category:Penn Central Transportation]]
[[Category:Railroad bridges in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Stone bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Time capsules]]
[[Category:Viaducts in the United States]]
[[Category:Parks in Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Concrete bridges in the United States]]
[[Category:Brick bridges in the United States]]