Erie - Sloanaker Ditch bridge

Photo 

Map 

Railroad abandonment explanation 

It is to note that immediately West of this bridge(1/10 of a mile), a single railroad track remained until about 2004-2005. That section running from CR 640 East into Monterey and eventually North Judson, were operated by the "Tippecanoe Railroad", later the Frick Services "JK Lines" railroad,and finally bought by Toledo Peoria and Western(Railamerica)after the Chicago and Indiana Railroad went out of business in or about 1979. C&I ran much of the old Erie line in Indiana, as did Erie Western before it. Eventually Buckeye Feeds, who owned the grain elevator in Monterey, bought the section from Monterey to North Judson to keep access to a CSX Transportation line(former C&O) for their outbound grain shipments, thus why that section survived much longer. Much of the rest of the Erie line in Indiana, was tore out including the tracks over this small bridge. As mentioned, the Monterey to North Judson remainder was ripped out later by Toledo Peoria and Western's contractors after a very brief ownership. Some of this now features a walking trail that some hope one day might extend across the state along this old railroad corridor.

Facts 

Overview

Closed-spandrel arch bridge over Sloanaker Ditch on Formerly Chicago and Indiana Railroad (nee Erie Western, Erie Lackawanna, Erie, Chicago and Atlantic Railroads)

Location

Monterey, Pulaski County, Indiana

Status

Intact, but Closed to all traffic

Future prospects

Trail enthusiasts would one day like to incorporate this structure in a statewide trail plan that could include much of the old Erie Railroad line.

History

Leftover reminder of the Erie Railroad's presence, tracks taken up in 1980's. Formerly double track railroad line across this structure, thus the wideness.

Railroads

- Erie Lackawanna Railroad (EL)
- Erie Railroad (ERIE)

Design

Closed-spandrel arch

Dimensions

Span length: 15.0 ft.
Total length: 15.0 ft.
Deck width: 55.0 ft.

Approximate latitude, longitude

+41.15565, -86.47334   (decimal degrees)
41°09'20" N, 86°28'24" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")

Approximate UTM coordinates

16/544188/4556169 (zone/easting/northing)

Quadrangle map:

Culver

Elevation

715 ft. above sea level

Inventory number

BH 44639 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Update Log 

• March 27, 2010: Essay added by James Norwood

Sources 

• James Norwood

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