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| Jim Pearson Photography posted Indiana Railroad 9007 and 9012 (SD90MACs) lead a local across the Wabash River from Palestine, Illinois as they head south on the Indianapolis Subdivision on November 25th, 2022. The Indiana Railroad (reporting mark INRD) is a United States Class II railroad, originally operating over former Illinois Central Railroad trackage from Newton, Illinois, to Indianapolis, Indiana, a distance of 155 miles (249 km). This line, now known as the Indiana Rail Road's Indianapolis Subdivision, comprises most of the former IC/ICG line from Indianapolis to Effingham, Illinois; Illinois Central successor Canadian National Railway retains the portion from Newton to Effingham. INRD also owns a former Milwaukee Road line from Terre Haute, Indiana, to Burns City, Indiana (site of the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center), with trackage rights extending to Chicago, Illinois. INRD no longer serves Louisville, Kentucky, and the Port of Indiana on the Ohio River at Jeffersonville, Indiana, through a haulage agreement with the Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC). Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 130. Beau Minnick: Oh yes that's a swing bridge that's probably not swung since the 30s. |
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| Michael Murphy posted Richard Fiedler: What is the location and Railroad? Michael Murphy: IC Railroad going across the Wabash River to Indiana. Dennis DeBruler: IC crossed the Wabash at Grayville, IL, and Riverton, IN. Given that the piers are stonecut, I presume this is the one at Riverton back when the swing span was a truss. |
Google has a photo of the 1880s bridge, but it is a Flickr photo copyrighted by Union Depot - Historic Railroad. The Flickr comments do include a history of the railroad. The photostream contains another photo of this bridge.
A 1907 3/4 postcard view with a closeup of the portal.
A 1910 elevation postcard view with closeups of a train on the swing span and a ferry with a horse and wagon.
A comment on the "1910 elevation" elevation postcard photo referenced above:
This is the original 1886 bridge that was built by the Keystone Bridge Company of Pittsburgh, PA. They also built the White River Bridge in Indianapolis that same year, and it still survives today. This bridge would be rebuilt in 1910 and the center swing span replaced again in 1965. The trusses of this bridge are extremely unusual and may possibly be of the Thatcher patent, which I have never heard of being used on a RR bridge before.
A comment on the "1907 closeup of the portal" photo referenced above:
This is very interesting to me as I have not seen any photos of this bridge before. It is hard to make out the trusses completely, but they almost appear to have triple-intersecting diagonals. If true. that would place it in rare company with the Laughery Creek Bridge (my profile pic) which is the only remaining example. The plaque looks similar to the one that existed on the old White River Bridge in Indianapolis that still stands today (plaques now missing). That bridge was built in 1886 by the Keystone Bridge Company and is likely the oldest remaining railroad bridge in the state. It was also previously an Illinois Central span and so the plaque comparison makes sense.
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| Dave Honan |
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| Dave Honan |
The swing span shows that river traffic on the Wabash was still considered important in 1910. The quote on Bridge Hunter indicates the span was last opened on July 7, 1938. The swing steel girder span was installed in 1965 from IC's Cumberland River Bridge in Kuttawa, Kentucky to satisfy the hubris of two Indiana state senators who wanted to make the Wabash a viable commercial waterway. But no machinery was installed. The center pylon still has its large orbital gear.
Considering the hard times that the railroads were having in the 1970s, this bridge was nicely painted. Especially since this was one of the many IC branches that ICG wanted to dump. This branch is now part of the Indiana Railroad (INRD).
Update:
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| Richard Koenig posted A northbound Illinois Central Gulf train crosses over the Wabash River Bridge at Riverton, Indiana. The lead unit is Illinois Central number 9500, an EMD GP38AC. Image by Richard Koenig; taken in the fall of 1979. |
Update:
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| SteelRails posted Indiana Railroad, INRD 9007 EMD SD9043MAC crossing over the Wabash River Bridge (Formerly IC) The span was last opened on July 7, 1938. The swing steel girder span was installed in 1965. The center pylon still has its large orbital gear, location is Riverton in Merom, Indiana on November 25, 2022. https://steelrails.pixels.com/featured/inrd-9007-emd-sd9043mac-steelrails-photography.html Kristofor Gustenhoven: it’s too bad the SD90MAC’s on the indiana railroad are in their last miles i wish they weren’t retired SteelRails: Kristofor Gustenhoven yes, there long lease is up. Al Kresse: Nice swing span. SteelRails: Al Kresse The span was last opened on July 7, 1938. The swing steel girder span was installed in 1965. The center pylon still has its large orbital gear. Hunter Givens: Glad to see the log jam is gone William Nimmo: What towns are on both sides thankyou |
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| Dennis DeBruler answered William's question Palestine on the Illinois side. https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4... |
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| Christian Goepel posted Circa 1910 postcard view of the IC Wabash River bridge and an unidentified IC Indianapolis District passenger train at Riverton, Indiana. The IC yard and crew change point at Palestine, Illinois, is just to the west of this bridge. Dennis DeBruler 1886 vs. 1910 bridges https://bridgehunter.com/in/sullivan/ic---wabash-river/ https://bridgehunter.com/in/sullivan/bh43682/ |
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| Richard Koenig commented on Christian's post Interesting, it seems that the center, swing span was replaced. This shot is from 1979—the date on the bridge is 1910. The ferry here in the above picture is cool too. Shot by Richard Koenig. |
