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20150418 298c, looking upstream |
(
Bridge Hunter,
Historic Bridges) Update:
The Illinois Flickr Album contains some more pictures of this bridge.
This is Bridge 407. But I don't know if that is Rock Island's or CSX's number.
As a
satellite image illustrates, the former Rock Island crossed the Des Plaines River at about a 45-degree angle. Note the above photo frames the next upstream bridge ---
Jefferson Street Bridge.
When the Rock Island went bankrupt, the Chicago-area commuter service, Metra, operates the route from Joliet to Chicago. CSX operates the main route from Joliet to Utica. Iowa Interstate (IAIS) operates the remaining route in Illinois plus all of the route in Iowa. The IAIS and CSX have trackage rights over the Metra part to get to their freight yards.
Note that this RR bridge, like
the one CSX operates in Seneca over the Illinois River, is normally in the raised position.
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Southeast Elevation |
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20150523 1708c, Northwest Elevation |
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Barriger [I think he took this photo before the above photo, but with a wider angle lens. Did they have zoom lenses back in his day? This photo follows the above photo in the collection, but they are obviously not in sequence.] |
The span being kept in the raised position is nice because otherwise it would be totally blocked by the trees.
I experimented with "artsy" photos using truss members of the
McDonough Street Bridge to frame this bridge.
Update:
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Stuart Pearson posted
Late 1970s
[back when it was still the Rock Island] |
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safe_image for DNE 31 Flickr
On the longest day of the year I sat in that park for hours during the evening trying to get a train on that bridge during daylight. No luck. |
Steven J. Brown
posted 7 pictures with the general comment:
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Nick Hart posted The Rock Island heritage unit is in charge of the morning Iowa Interstate eastbound as it crosses Bridge 407 in Joliet. The Silvis-Blue Island train (Z026-06 on CSX) is exiting CSX New Rock Sub trackage and entering Metra Rock Island District trackage on this sunny and warm morning. 07-06-2021 Juan Antonio Troncoso-Muñoz: Might sound like a dumb question but how much trackage belongs to Metra,then CSX until it turns into IAIS territory? HalstEd Pazdzior: Juan Antonio Troncoso-Muñoz west of Utica is Iowa. Utica to bridge 407 is CSX. The rest of the way east is metra. |
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HalstEd Pazdzior posted
A rare daylight CSX Barr Yard to Ottawa train heads west through Joliet. Some recent demolitions opened up a lot of space. In the background you can see the new Will County Courthouse, which recently opened, and bridge 407. 10/23/20 |
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Comments on a HalstEd's post
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Dennis DeBruler commented on Halsted's post
I just had Facebook refuse my comments because they were a violation of Community Standards. It called them Spam. My links were to Google Maps and the historic Illinois aerials. That is not self-promoting. This is the second time now that Facebook has trashed my work.
I'm not going to try to replicate what I said about the industrial spur ramps on the north and side south sides of the mainline at the Des Plaines Street overpass, but I will include the 1939 photo extract that shows the spurs.
https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/.../0bxk02116.jpg
Halsted Pazdzior Dennis DeBruler interesting stuff. I know the north ramp was to the coach yard. |
Stuart Pearson
posted a very closeup view.
Dan Marinellie
posted a geometry train coming off the bridge.
Posted again
1997 Art Gross Flickr
Jeremy Hylka caught a picture of the bridge as the sun rose beneath it.
A
video using a drone to get overview and side views of the bridge.
A
video of a Rock Island freight coming over the bridge.
IAIS train operations
Peter Zimmermann also provided more information on
how to catch the IAIS train. But that post got removed?! Fortunately, I still have some info in my email:
Peter Zimmermann: The train used to leave around 6:45 pm or so on the weekdays, but then
they switched it to not before 7:30 pm for departure out of Blue Island.
Someone else commented that it would not get to Joliet before 9:00 pm.