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GR&I - St. Mary's River Bridge

Adams County, Indiana

Photo 

Photo courtesy of Decatur Daily Democrat

BH Photo #188676

Map 

Description 

Part of the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad "Fishing Line" from Cincinatti to Northern Michigan in conjunction with the Pere Marquette Railroad, later part of the Pennsylvania Railroad empire. Formerly used to get from Ft. Wayne to Decatur.

Bridge has been relocated over the Wabash River between Geneva and Berne to replace a missing span of that bridge. The structure has been restored and will be part of a trail system.

Facts 

Overview
Pratt through truss bridge over St. Mary's River on Chicago Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad via lease from CSX Transportation(nee Conrail, Penn Central, Pennsylvania Railroad, Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad)
Location
Decatur, Adams County, Indiana
Status
Replaced, dismantled and reused
Future prospects
Now removed, with talk of this truss being moved further South near Berne and Geneva to replace a lost span on another GR&I Railroad bridge over Wabash River. That section has been abandoned for many years and may become part of a trail. Current info as of August 18, 2010
History
Built 1898; Replaced 2010; Relocated 2017
Builder
- Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan (Based on shape of missing plaques)
Railroads
- CSX Railroad (CSX)
- Conrail (CR)
- Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad (GR&I)
- Penn Central Railroad (PC)
- Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
Design
9-panel, pinned Pratt through truss
Dimensions
Total length: 150.0 ft.
Deck width: 15.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+40.84873, -84.93575   (decimal degrees)
40°50'55" N, 84°56'09" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/674008/4524015 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Decatur
Inventory number
BH 45027 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

19th Century (9,237)
Adams County, Indiana (31)
Available for reuse (213)
Built 1898 (340)
Built during 1890s (3,331)
CSX Railroad (1,826)
Conrail (1,769)
Decatur, Indiana (5)
Detroit Bridge & Iron Works (80)
Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad (14)
Indiana (5,216)
Open to pedestrians (4,651)
 Owned by county (21,833)
Penn Central Railroad (1,591)
Pennsylvania Railroad (1,092)
Pin-connected (5,225)
Pratt through truss (6,308)
Pratt truss (10,668)
Railroad (16,790)
St. Mary's River (20)
Through truss (18,260)
Total length 125-175 feet (6,386)
Truss (37,313)

Update Log 

  • June 26, 2021: Updated by Tony Dillon: Added builder
  • July 1, 2018: Updated by Luke: Cleaned up history section to be dates-only.
  • July 15, 2013: Updated by Luke Harden: Added categories "Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad", "Penn Central Railroad", "Conrail"
  • August 10, 2012: Updated by J.P.: Added categories "St. Mary's River", "Railroad"
  • December 17, 2011: Updated by J.P.: Added category "Pin-connected"
  • November 27, 2010: Updated by Anthony Dillon: modified information
  • August 18, 2010: Updated by James Norwood: Added replacement news video link, dates, and current status
  • April 24, 2010: Added by James Norwood

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Sources 

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