Rating:
2 votes

Amtrak S. Branch Chicago River Bridge

Cook County, Illinois
Share:

Photos 

General View Of Lift Bridge From 18th Street Bridge, Looking Southwest

Photo taken for the Historic American Engineering Record

View photos at Library of Congress

Map 

Street View 

Description 

Originally built as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system, this Waddell and Harrington vertical lift span is the only one of its kind across the Chicago River. Upon its completion in 1915, it had the heaviest (1,500 ton) main span of any vertical lift bridge in the United States.

-- Historic American Engineering Record

Facts 

Overview
Pratt through truss bridge over South Branch of Chicago River on Amtrak (BNSF)
Location
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built 1915
Builders
- Pennsylvania Steel Co. of Steelton, Pennsylvania
- Waddell & Harrington
Design
Pratt through truss
Dimensions
Total length: 273.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+41.85556, -87.63670   (decimal degrees)
41°51'20" N, 87°38'12" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/447150/4633935 (zone/easting/northing)
USGS topographic map
Englewood
Inventory number
BH 50843 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Amtrak (161)
Built 1915 (971)
Built during 1910s (6,760)
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (479)
Chicago, Illinois (99)
Cook County, Illinois (168)
HAER documented (784)
Have street view (10,035)
Illinois (2,501)
Movable (1,360)
Navigable waterway (1,453)
Open (28,454)
 Owned by railroad (4,120)
Pennsylvania Railroad (172)
Pennsylvania Steel Co. (33)
Pratt through truss (3,184)
Pratt truss (5,687)
Railroad (4,223)
Riveted (1,019)
Through truss (9,254)
Total length 250-500 feet (3,382)
Truss (23,615)
Vertical lift (276)
Waddell & Harrington (18)

Update Log 

  • September 30, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway"
  • September 29, 2012: Updated by Steve Conro: Add Photo's
  • January 6, 2012: Updated by J.P.: Added categories "HAER documented", "Riveted", "Navigable waterway", "Amtrak", "Pennsylvania Railroad"

Sources 

  • J.P. - wildcatjon2000 [at] gmail [dot] com
  • HAER IL-112 - Pennsylvania Railroad, South Branch Chicago River Bridge, Spanning South Branch of Chicago River Bridge east of Canal Street, Chicago, Cook County, IL
  • Steve Conro - sconro [at] yahoo [dot] com
  • Historicbridges.org - by Nathan Holth

Comments 

Post a comment here Contact webmaster