Rating:
50118
{55}%
2 votes
CSX - Johns Manville/Caterpillar Spur I&M Canal Bridge
Photos
I&m Canal swing bridge. Terry Rd bridge in parallel just beyond.
Photo taken by Steve Conro in January 2012
Enlarge
BH Photo #223001
Description
What a surprise upon visiting this previously listed "stringer" bridge to find it was actually an original canal period swing bridge. It looks like it was hand operated with a gear shaft system from both ends to the center. This dates it to when the canal was still in use. Built after 1910.
Facts
- Overview
- Old Railroad Swing bridge over I&M Canal on CSX RR Industial Spur
- Location
- Joliet, Will County, Illinois
- Status
- Seldom Used
- History
- Built 1911
- Builder
- - American Bridge Co. of New York
- Railroads
- - CSX Railroad (CSX)
- Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (CRIP (1866-1920); RI (1920-1975) ROCK (1975-1980))
- Design
- Deck Plate swing bridge
- Dimensions
-
Total length: 140.0 ft.
- Also called
- RI - Johns Manville/Caterpillar Spur I&M Canal Bridge
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +41.49505, -88.13958 (decimal degrees)
41°29'42" N, 88°08'22" W (degrees°minutes'seconds")
- Approximate UTM coordinates
- 16/404879/4594341 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Channahon
- Inventory number
- BH 50118 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- July 7, 2019: Updated by Luke: Added builder from HAER
- July 7, 2019: Updated by John Marvig: Added Build Date from HAER
- January 6, 2019: Updated by John Marvig: Updated owner, build date based on plaque
- February 28, 2012: Updated by Steve Conro: Added category "Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad"
- January 7, 2012: Updated by Steve Conro: Changed to swing bridge, added photos and info.
- November 10, 2011: Updated by Steve Conro: Status info per Daniel Hopkins
Upon visiting this bridge to photograph it I found a nice surprise that its an original canal swing bridge. This makes it part of the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, so it belongs to the National Park System. So even if the factory business dries up its future is secure.