These are notes that I am writing to help me learn our industrial history. They are my best understanding, but that does not mean they are a correct understanding.
This bridge carries US 6 and 52 over the Des Plaines River. I was heading eastbound on US 6 and when I turned onto McDonough, I noticed that traffic was stopped by the bridge. I quickly ducked into a parking lot and took this picture. I then switched to taking a video. I held the camera for the entire duration of the raising, but later discovered that I had only enough memory left for one second of video! I knew I was low on memory, but not that low. Below is a screen grab from near the end of the video. The second photo in Bridge Hunter is of the bridge in the full upright position.
20150418 0299
Unfortunately, it is lost in the shadows in the above pictures as to how the superstructure rocks back along the foundation. This bridge is of the rolling lift or "Scherzer rolling lift" design. To the right, we can clearly see the semi-circle pivot girder of the superstructure that rocks back along the level foundation. The pivot girder has holes corresponding to the "teeth" in the foundation to keep the bridge properly aligned as it is raised. You can also see part of the rack along the horizontal member across the top. There would be a pinion gear at the center of the arc that engages that rack to raise the bridge. Chicago has replaced many of its rolling lift bridges with trunnion bascule bridges because maintaining the alignment of the foundations in Chicago's swampy soil proved difficult because the load moves across the foundation each time it is raised and lowered.
Some detail shots are below. Note that Joliet has done a good job of maintaining the historic integrity of the handrails.
Under the lift bridge we can see the west leaf of the Jefferson Street Bridge that is stuck open.
Prairie Creek Grain is filling the barge near the railroad tracks. And we can see a little towboat placing the empty barge in the foreground.
For the first video I heard the bell start while I was getting back into my van and for the second I heard the bell start as I was getting out of my van. So in both cases I had to trot to the bridge and I missed the first part. As is my policy, I kept "filming" until the gates went up so that you can see how long it takes to lock mate and lock the leaves. I've noticed that the operators of this bridge do it quickly compared to many other dual-leaf bridges. You can right-click the image to get the URL so that you can watch it in a separate browser window.
The blue bridge is the McDonough Street in Joliet, IL. The top foreground is the bottom of the lift span for the former Rock Island, now CSX, bridge. The truss in the right background is the westbound I-80 bridge. Note a partially filled barge on the right side docked at Prairie Creek Grain.
Dennis DeBruler commented on his share, cropped Dale Bulthuis Jr. also posted this photo of the two towboats. [After he posted the video linked above.] Lloyd Scott Hardin: That was me weeeeee
Dale Bulthuis Jr posted two photos with the comment: "PRAIRIE STATE & JOHN D NUGENT coming up through Joliet."
1 of 28 Inland railroading photos posted by Christopher Lohse-Gutierrez James Torgeson shared
Bing map has a roundhouse that is gone in the Google image, so that probably means that some year it will disappear from the Bing maps also. It looks like part of the roundhouse had already been removed to build the big rectangle building because there is no longer a lead track to the turntable. (Update: per Bob Lalich's comments below, they built a new lead through the roundhouse from the canal side. The bright red "wall" for the stall that is second from the rectangular building would be a door. They filled in the pit and laid track through the stall.)
The first bridge over the industrial canal in East Chicago, Indiana was built by the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (now CN) in 1880. It was a double track Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge designated No. 728. Crossing the Indiana Harbor Canal created a unique partnership with three railroads in 1909. Lake Shore and Michigan Southern (NYC), the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway (PRR) and The Baltimore and Ohio contracted one bridge builder to construct four identical double track lift bridges. Two for the NYC four track mainline, one for the Pennsy and one for the B&O. The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway (PRR) was the southernmost of the bridges and has been removed, although the foundation is still visible.
In 2008, ArcelorMittal’s built a bright blue Pony plate girder bascule rail bridge over Indiana Harbor Canal. Today only three bridges remain in operation: ArcelorMittal’s blue bridge, the former EJ&E (CN) Scherzer and the Norfolk Southern (NYC) Chicago Line bridge. The remaining bridges are “in the upright and locked position” (non-operable). Hick tower is still in operation to oversee the movable bridges.
Bridges from south to north:
ex-NYC pipeline bridge (out of service)
ex-NYC main bridge (out of service)
ex-NYC - NS Chicago Line bridge (active)
B&O passenger line bridge (Lake sub, out of service)
EJ&E Lakefront Branch bridge (active)
CLIFFS (ArcelorMittal) “Blue” bridge(active)
[In the lower-left corner is the foundation for the this roundhouse.]
Frank Newton shared his post Here's a cool 8x10 picture out of my Inland collection . My guess 1970's . Love these black and white photo's . Don't know who the folks are and notice one guy in engine compartment . Photo credit to Dennis Erdelac . Daniel Perez: It's the Round House for sure. Did a lot of piping maintenance work there. Those wheels were machined and pressed in the CMM Machine shop. They actually called the outer rings tires.
This was at Inland Steel , East Chicago Indiana in the Plant 1 Round House . Long gone building . Thomas Flynn: Old friction bearing axles.
Dennis DeBruler commented on Frank's share
I presume it was this roundhouse.
41°39'28.0"N 87°27'14.6"W
41.657764, -87.454048
(Facebook has been deleting most of my comments that contain a Google Maps URL. It declares them a violation of Community Standards. But you can use Google Maps if you copy&paste the GPS coordinates into the search field.)
Frank liked the comment, so evidently the presumption is correct.
LTV on the left, Inland on the right. Note the roundhouse on the right shore of the canal.
Kevin A Heggi posted Indiana Harbor Works, circa 2005?
Kevin A Heggi posted Bob Lalich: An unusual roundhouse on the left. The lead to the turntable passed through the structure.
Dennis DeBruler commented on Bob's comment
Bob Lalich I had concluded that they were in a hurry to build the long building so they tore down just enough of the roundhouse to clear the land that they needed. A contemporary satellite view shows that there is no door in the side of the new building for a lead track.
I fired up Google Earth and determined that the remainder of the roundhouse was removed between Mar 2012 and Apr 2013.
More comments after Dennis' comment on Bob's comment. Higher resolution copies of the images are included after the comments.
Comments on Kevin's post
Comments on Kevin's post
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Sam Foster identified a different portal than I found on the south side.
Sam Foster posted two photos with the comment: "Was reviewing some footage I shot on Monday at Indiana Harbor and was curious about this tunnel that connects two of the mills on the Inland side of the plant. Any idea what trains traversed this tunnel and when it was last used?"
There are several interesting responses. Of note is:
Frank Newton: Inlands Rail Transportation department used that tunnel . Went from Plant #2 to Plant #1 . Plant #1 at one time had a roundhouse and large repair area . It was also home of an early large Open Hearth department operation and the rope driven 100" Plate Mill and a few other production facilities . Plant #2 had many of the early Merchant Mills requiring materials and products produced at Plant #1 . Eventually more Open Hearth Departments and a Bloomer were built in Plant #2 as the older departments in Plant#1 were becoming obsolete and eventually closing making the need of the tunnel less important . Both train and vehicle tunnel were very high maintenance often flooding . Plant #3 just to the other side had two Blast Furnaces and several Coke batteries . I don't know if any of the production facilities there also used the tunnel to transport material thru Plant #1 to Plant #2 mills during any outages or breakdowns in Plant #2 production departments . I imagine they could .
A lot more tunnels are in Plant #2 . They are narrow mostly for placement of 660 volt power lines . There was also a narrow gauge tunnel with tracks running along the Blast furnace row in Plant #2 ( Madaline #1 thru #6 ) . Workers could move materials by pushing carts on the tracks to different furnaces underground .Where the final destinations were I don't know I was in it twice only going about 150 feet each time before turning around in my best interest . Kinda scary . There was also a underground tunnel from Plant #2 Coke Plant to the Blast Furnaces , Lol , that was really scary .
[It seems the portal I found by the canal is a vehicle tunnel.]
Scott Walker: There is a vehicle tunnel just north of their by the canal also.
While studying some maps trying to figure out how to get close to this bridge to get pictures, I noticed that there were some pretty good satellite images available. I was surprised that Bing's north view showed it down while the east, south, and west views showed it in a raised position. The Bing images clearly show how the bridge rolls backwards along its curved girder.
Mark Llanuza posted A view of EJ&E bridge 631 the year 2010 Steven KakoczkiI was just there a few weeks ago..,.sure could use some new paint.
Ted Gregory posted, cropped
EJ&E Tower and Drawbridge
Whiting, IN
Jacob Diorio posted, cropped IHB’s 124 Job trundles across Bridge 631 in East Chicago, bound for BP. 5/30/20 William Lloyd I never had an easy trip there. They moved signals like furniture.
Two out of the four pictures Joe Zeller posted include the bridge. Joe's comment:
11/22/16, is when I caught the bridge coming down on EJ&E'S Whiting branch over the canal to allow the J's 659 and 10 cars go into the Whiting yard. 659 still looking and sounding great.
Joe ZellerThis bridge sure does see more traffic these days. The J, the IHB and CSX trains.
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Matt Lasayko provided two more photos as comments on the above posting:
Arturo Gross posted a Flickr photo, this photo used with specific permission
EJ&E SW1200 306 leads a transfer on the Whiting branch across the IN Harbor Canal at E. Chicago IN headed for Kirk Yard Dec 1996. Scott PughDoubt it was headed to Kirk Yard with just a switcher locomotive, during daylight hours, and without asphalt cars. Notice the ground crew is standing up with his coat on. Probably going to switch NID and Inland plant 4.Arturo GrossYou are probably right :) Dennis DeBrulerOne of the few photos I have seen that shows the Indiana Harbor Canal bridge and its tower with a train coming through.
Mark Llanuza posted four photos with the comment: "Its 2010 at Bridge 631 EJ&E tower."
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Shad Steve Vargo posted two photos with the comment: "The petcoke train from BP crosses Bridge 631 yesterday. Where does this train go?" Chad MalinovskyPaducah and Pier 9 in Virginia both via CSX and three rivers which I think is Paducah also but via CN. Andrew SerkaianAtkinson Kentucky i believe.
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Edward Krzyowski posted two photos with the comment: "Stumbled across this little gem.EJ&E Bridge 631.East Chicago,IN."
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Joe Usselman posted
The Whiting job crosses bridge 631 in East Chicago in 2009.
Joe Usselman posted
J 659 crosses over bridge 631 on the Whiting branch at East Chicago in 2008. Dennis DeBrulerThanks for providing the "Whiting Branch" info. I understand the EJ&E mainline that goes around the Chicagoland area. But all of the little tendrils in Northwest Indiana and Southeast Chicago are still a puzzle in my mind. I checked the one map I have that labels branches and it calls this the CN "Calumet Spur." So is "Whiting Branch" the historical EJ&E name? Or is my map reference wrong?
Joe Usselman posted
The Whiting job crosses bridge 631 at East Chicago in 2011 Todd PearsonI hated that scrap heap. That’s the one line I wasn’t qualified on.
Ken Schmidt posted
On a gloomy day in 1989, this former SP switcher, now working for the IHB, pulls across the bridge at J tower in East Chicago, IN. Well worth having the radio with me in my travels in NW Indiana. Dennis DeBruler So the IHB had trackage rights over the EJ&E here. I wonder how much of the J could be used by IHB. Bob Lalich Besides this segment between Whiting and just north of Michigan Ave, IHB had trackage rights on the EJ&E Lakefront Line between South Works and Indiana Harbor.
Jacob Diorio posted
CN’s Whiting Job approaches Bridge 631 over the Indiana Harbor Canal in East Chicago. In the foreground are some of the teeth that guide this Scherzer rolling lift bridge as it raises and lowers. Built in 1913, this little bridge guides movements across the canal on the daily. 4/9/20 Ean Kahn-Treras CN coming back to normal back here. Did they ever bother to do some weird IHB routing via Grasselli while the diamond was out at Calumet? Jacob Diorio Not to my knowledge, but they went across Grasselli to Sims on the ECB today. I wasn’t able to get there in time but ATCS told the tale. Ean Kahn-Treras I have seen a few instances of the CN lighting up the ATCS over there too. Haven't been in the area though at the right time!
It is honestly hard to keep AAR 16 open on the scanner when I'm out there because of every goddamn departure from Kirk talking for hourrrrssssssss. Heck, I don't even know if they talk on 16 to get on the Whiting Line. I know communications with 631 are over AAR 16 though. Jacob Diorio I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m out. They seem to work very quickly along there,. Andrew UrbanskiJacob Diorio were you wading in the water ? Jacob DiorioAndrew Urbanski No, the water was a few feet behind me.
Austin Sasse posted
Your local home boy IC 1497 working the Whiting Job. New years 2017? Chuck Roth One of the few tower jobs left around Mike Squires What sort of locomotive is that. Andy PuchMike Squires IC SW1400
(new window) A NS GP60 followed by the Donald C. Tugboat pushing two liquid product barge. It is one of the bigger towboats that I have seen that has a pilot house that can be raised and lowered.
Robert Jordon shared a link to a photo of a CSX transfer train crossing the bridge. Craig CloudHeading into Whiting yd? Ean Kahn-Trerasexactly right. NB across bridge 631 Arturo Gross Flickr photo contradicts the above posting because he indicates a petcoke train going in the same direction is leaving Whiting Yard. Judging from a satellite image in my posting on Whiting Yard, Arturo is correct assuming the loco in Joe's photo is pulling the train. The tower is on the southeast side of the bridge. It is good to see that Koch is finally getting petcoke out of his KCBX Terminals rather than piling it high along the Calumet River and letting it blow over residential neighborhoods.
Mar 31, 2026: an allision
Kevin Mejia posted two photos with the comment: "This barge collided with this rail bridge over the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal in a maritime accident in East Chicago on Tuesday night."
Marauder Ruben: That's an Asphalt barge . I have been on it.
Ken Kruhaj: Major artery( the railroad tracks on the bridge)for the BP refinery to move the pet coke on hopper cars from the refinery. They move a sh_t load of cars out of there. Also they load asphalt barges by US Gypsum and if either cannot get out they will have to drastically reduce rates of crude oil they run. [Actually, the output is already drastically reduced because the workers are currently locked out.]
[Some comments indicate that there is not a bridge operator, it is "automated." And that the bridge came down and hit the barge. I'd try researching it, but I probably would learn just that it is "under investigation."]
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A video in the comments on the above post
Bridges & Tunnels by Sherman Cahal posted four photos with the comment:
Many older bridges remain in active daily use, especially when they have not been exposed to deicing salts that accelerate steel corrosion.
The single-leaf bascule was built in 1913 by the Scherzer Rolling Lift Company and rehabilitated in 1978. It now carries the Whiting Branch of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway and the Calumet Spur of the Canadian National Railway, along with other rail traffic.
Update 4/8: On April 7, 2026, at about 6:11 p.m., the tugboat Karen Andrie was involved in an allision with the bridge. The bridge and canal remain closed to both railroad and maritime traffic.
B&T, Credit: Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database, 1995. "In 2025, the bridge transitioned from manual operation to fully automated operation.
"On April 7, 2026, at about 6:11 p.m., the tugboat Karen Andrie was involved in an allision with Indiana Harbor Canal Bridge No. 631. 2 The bridge and canal remain closed to both railroad and maritime traffic."
Glenn Davis: Recently damaged by a barge and out of service, CSX is using the old B&OCT Whiting branch to build a connection to the EJ&E for detours. Sounds like it's gonna be out of service for an extended period.
Steven W Panek: Glenn Davis. 18 months minimum
[It sounds like the automation cost money rather than save money.]
Gabe Argenta posted There appears to be some activity at the stricken Bridge 631 in East Chicago. IHB 1521and CSX 5414 have been brought to the west approach.
Dillon Harrison: They were out recreating the scene with/for the FRA, STB and Coast Guard officials. Multiple lawsuits have been filed between the CN, IHB and the Maritime company. Major dollar amounts in play here for the replacement and revenue losses. The 1521 has been stuck on that side of the canal since the night of the bridge strike.
[The stuck locomotive motivates this rare view of the underside of the bridge.]
Deep within the industrial area of East Chicago, Indiana is EJ&E's Bridge 631 which spans the Indiana Harbor Canal. It's relatively hard to reach and perhaps even unknown to most but yet it plays a vital role as it provides access to the huge BP Amoco complex in addition to serving other industries.
However, in April it was hit by a barge (or tugboat?) and was permanently damaged making it unusable. Without this bridge, there was no other rail access to these otherwise landlocked industries. IHB used this bridge as well to access their customers.
Indeed, CSX served BP via their Whiting Branch but they quit serving them 6-8 years ago and they let the branch become dormant. At one time PRR (PC-CR) also served BP but that connection was removed as well. Perhaps there were other connections (in the old days) but they too are long gone.
As a result of this bridge incident, CSX has restored and rebuilt the Whiting Branch to handle the hundreds of cars to/from "The Region".
Regardng my photo, on 1-11-92 I caught EJ&E SW1200 #304 leading "The Peanut" (as this job was known) in a southward direction having just crossed the bridge.
Also note the map----the bridge is highlighted with a red arrow. To the left is B&OCT's Whiting Branch.
Comments and corrections always welcome.
Rick La Fever: Latest "rumor" is Bridge 631 will be out of service for at least a year. It has already been removed.
I don't know how long it took for The Arcelor-Mittal "Blue Bridge" to be built but I guess it will take the same time. Looking @Google Earth, replacing the PRR connection seems like a non-starter because of buildings on the right of way.
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Gabe Argenta commented on Chuck's post, cropped Not much left when I saw it on Friday [Jun 19, 2026]
