The bridge over the Illinois River that was used by the Indiana, Illinois, & Iowa Railroad (II&I) and the Milwaukee Road has been removed. Bridge Hunter also lists the Streator & Clinton Railway as a user. But I could not find any info on that railroad. It must have been bought by II&I.
The bridge caught on fire in Dec, 1964, when a barge carrying petroleum products was ignited when it scrapped against a bridge piling. The bridge tender was killed. In 1984, Conrail dismantled the bridge at the request of the US Coast Guard.
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Photo from Ray Tutaj Jr. website
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| Aerial Photo from ILHAP |
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| Photo from Ray Tutaj Jr. website |
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| William Wozniak posted The OLE 3-I Bridge over the Illinois River by Depue IL. Dave Woz photo. William Wozniak posted again Andy Zukowski posted NYC+Milw/II&I RR Bridge over Illinois River near DePue, IL. The bridge caught on fire in Dec, 1964, when a barge carrying petroleum products was ignited when it scrapped against a bridge piling. The bridge tender was killed. In 1984, Conrail dismantled the bridge at the request of the US Coast Guard. A Dave Wozniak Photo Trenton Dominy: Bridge tender Dori [Doro per a comment below] Tonioni of Standard Illinois was the bridge tender he died after he jumped into the Illinois river and drowned as he couldn’t swim his body was found a few miles down river by the Illinois power company station near Hennepin in the spring of 1965. I believe that the bridge should have been replaced with a lift bridge. David Hahn: I offer that this was one of the 10 most critical sections of abandoned infrastructure in Illinois. Aaron Combs: David Hahn Believe they said conrail wanted it gone because the Hennepin steel plant was captive at that point. No one else could come over the bridge with steel. It sure would have been a good run through especially if the original Kankakee line to south bend was left in place. I agree a huge blunder. |
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| Andy Zukowski commented on his post |
Bradley Seibech posted two photos with the comment: "DePue, Illinois."
David Hahn shared
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What year did Conrail stop running north to Howe or Ladd IL?
ReplyDeleteI’d say 80’s? Contrail would pick up steel coils at the Hennepin plant and used that rail line. So when the plant went down so did the bridge. My Dad was Train Master for; NYC, Penn Central, and Conrail. Previously had worked as bridge tender on the 3 I bridge.
ReplyDeleteThe bridge tender who died when the bridge was hit by a barge was Doro T. Tonioni, aged 44 years. The article incorrectly states his name as “Dori.” He is buried in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, in Granville, Illinois.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I added a correction to the notes.
Delete