Connection between NS/PRR and BRC+Rock Island

(Update: the Rock Island Junction used to consist of a lot more than just this connection. The are also photos of trains on this connector as they approach or leave the BRC Commercial Yard. The overpass ruins we see in many of these photos supported the Pennsy Cummings Branch.)

Steven J. Brown posted two photos with the comment:

Now and then - South Chicago - Forty years apart:
A little departure from posting similar angles from different decades. The first image was taken last week, February 24, 2017. The second image was taken forty years ago standing on the abutment that appears in the approximate center of the first picture looking at a train coming down the hill - October 9, 1977.

1

2: Conrail GP40's descending the hill to the BRC or Rock Island at South Chicago - October 9, 1977. I think 3268 was a EMD demonstrator #19?? 3068 in trail became a NJT GP40FH-2 #4134

Satellite

Street View

James Boudraux posted
Belt Railway #504 TR4A & TR4B are spotted working towards US Steel South Chicago Plant...2/73...L.Downs photo
Bob Lalich The two tracks on the right go to BRC's 100th St Yard. The track to South Works would have been behind the photographer.
Dennis DeBruler And given your comments about BRC/EJ&E interchange on another post and the fact that this train is running light because we can see the caboose, the train is probably going away from, rather than towards, South Works after delivering interchange traffic with the EJ&E.
Bob's comment:
Historically, EJ&E delivered to BRC's Commercial Ave Yard, and BRC delivered to the J at South Works. Those interchange points were eliminated after CN acquired the J. The J's bridge over the Calumet River is out of service.
Pete Fileca Bob Lalich where does the track thru the bridge go ???
Pete Fileca Bob Lalich is this all still there ?
Bob Lalich Most of it. The second BRC track going to 100th St has been cut back around the curve. The retaining wall next to the locomotives which once carried the PRR Cummings Branch has been partially removed for greater clearance. Rock Island Jct has been interlocked. The PRR position light signals and signal bridge have been replaced.

Larry Grzywinski Dwain Jerantowski at one time there was four vertical lift bridges. The two on the left were the PRR and the other two were the NYC. Each railroad had four main lines into the city. When the railroads merged it was decided to also merge the tracks. It was also decided to remove two of the bridges. That did not go very well and while removing the one bridge there was a accident and if I remember correctly a worker was killed. After that a decision was made to secure the other span in the raised position. It has been that way ever since. Bottom line the former two PRR bridges and one of the former NYC bridges remain.
Dennis DeBruler Larry Grzywinski Actually, it is two former NYC and one PRR bridge that remains. The NYC tracks were north (left in this view) of the PRR tracks. A Facebook comment by Bob Lalich provides the dates for the removal of the PRR bridge:

PRR began dismantling bridge #1 in 1965. There was a terrible accident resulting in the death of two men, I believe. The remaining portion of the bridge stood for nearly three years until final demolition in 1968.

Dennis DeBruler commented on James' post
To help me better understand the photo, I found a comparable view on Google Maps. The photographer would have been on the overpass in the lower-left corner and there were no trees. The whtie building is gone and the brick building under the Skyway is the 95th Street Pumping Station.
https://www.google.com/.../@41.7241997,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3

Steven J. Brown posted
Norfolk Southern SD70ACU 7234 descends down to the Belt Railway of Chicago (is it still BRC?) at South Chicago under the Skyway - February 25, 2017.

Joe Usselman posted
A pair of former Conrail dash 8's lead a train onto the BRC at Rock Island Junction in 2010.

Jacob Diorio posted
NS 67R jumps off the Chicago Line to the BRC in South Chicago with the EJ&E heritage unit in the lead. 1/11/21
Steven Flanagan: Jim Sank that was actually CN U267 oil empties north.
[So the tar sands in Canada have partially offset the loss of coal shipments.]

Steven J. Brown posted

Westbound - Now and then - South Chicago - Forty years apart!

Norfolk Southern 9636 GE C44-9W (built 2001) leading on February 24, 2017.

Conrail 5956 EMD GP7 (built 1953 as PRR 8584) leading on October 9, 1977.

Dennis DeBruler I just noticed how the 2017 version shows both jointed rails and CWR tracks. And it shows that jointed rails don't have to dip at each joint as you see with poorly maintained track.

Joe Usselman posted
A BRC bound manifest approaches Rock Island junction in 2010 at Chicago.
[This NS/BRC connection is the one that still exists in the junction.]

HalstEd Pazdzior posted
CN 2431, a C40-8M, leads an empty tank train towards the BRC's Clearing yard this afternoon. C40-8M have been designated "trail only" by CN and can usually only be caught while operating on foreign rails.    1/5/21
Glen Olbermann: That lead unit was taken off at Hawthorne yard. A ET44AC was added on. I met the crew in Cicero Illinois. It was a CSX crew operating the train. A CN crew took over and took the lead power off. That CN crew took her to Dubuque Iowa.
HalstEd Pazdzior: Glen Olbermann they took the second gevo and plopped it in front of the barn lhf. Cn is very ptc strict and would rather run a unit lhf then a non ptc unit.
Glen Olbermann: HalstEd Pazdzior The PTC works very well for the CN and they takes it seriously.