d.w.davidson Flickr shows the span still intact
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Bob Lalich Flickrcal river bridge csl c-2 11-81This is the old B&O Calumet River bridge that was destroyed in 1988. The train was on its way back to the CSL yard at 98th St. |
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| 20160521 3284, a view from the 95th Street Bridge |
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This is the photo from which the above was cropped to provide context.
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Back when it still had its movable span.
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| Douglas Butler posted B&O Railroad Strauss Bascule Bridge is in South Chicago, IL Calumet River Source: Pinterest. |
The Baltimore & Ohio's original passenger route into Chicago was along the lake, over this bridge, and connected to IC tracks near 71st Street. B&O passenger trains later switched to using the B&OCT to access Grand Central Station. Since even the freight service dried up on this original lake shore route in the 1970s, there was no need to repair the Strauss heel-trunnion bascule bridge when a ship wrecked it in 1988 (more below). So the span has been removed and only the lift structure remains. which is the diagonal structure on the right in the above picture.
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| Michael Siola posted Marty Gatton: B&O bridge in place… Andre Kristopans: All NYC, PRR bridges in use, 95th St under construction, so mid 50s. |
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| A view taken through an open gate across the CSL yard |
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| Camera Resolution |
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| View of the west side |
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| Stan Hawker commented on his posting A more recent picture of the bridge before the accident can be seen in the background of The Blues Brothers movie poster. |
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| Steve OConnor posted When ship meets railroad bridge . . . Calumet River, South Chicago Tribune Article [Photo source, p11] Steve Malachinski That's the old B&O bridge. There was a plan floated to take the bridge down that is on the St Charles airline and move it on a barge to replace the one that was destroyed. They scratched the plan and just abandoned the tracks from the connection of the Chicago Short line to the bridge to Rock Island Jct. There was only one industry west of the bridge that was a cement plant which has been closed for years . Ben Burch Was the line abandoned at the time? Steve Malachinski No the line was still active at the time of the accident. |
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| Bob Lalich commented on Scott Griffith's posting I took this the morning after the accident on May 8,1988 [David Vondra post]. Imagine the sound when it happened... |
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| Chris Fezler posted Stan Stanovich ...though I haven’t researched this in any way or checked out the posted links Chris Fezler, to the best of my personal recollection this occurred in early 1988. I clearly remember something on this in what was sort of a news photo section of Trains Magazine in the Spring of that year!!! I was still a resident of Massachusetts at the time!!! The B&O bridge north of the former PRR and NYC at CP509. Supposedly the ship’s crew alleged the bridge was lowered as the ship passed through the channel and the railroad alleged the ship was to close to the structure in the raised position, made contact with it and took it down!!! Lee Jones I believe the latter. Jerry Smigla I think some of that bridge is still there. Stan Stanovich ...I believe it is!!! Dennis DeBruler The tower and "rocker truss" is still there. The span was removed. https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spTtRChSJZ Dennis DeBruler Note the bridge is not only still intact in 1986, John caught the span in a partially open position: https://www.flickr.com/.../in/album-72157655080811639/ Dennis DeBruler A view of the west side that shows the massive counterweight and the bridge tower: https://www.flickr.com/.../in/album-72157655080811639/ Dennis DeBruler John has five photos of the wreck starting with: https://www.flickr.com/.../in/album-72157655080811639/ (Use the "right arrow" icon in the middle of the right side to scroll through the photos.) Rod Truszkowski The wreck happened in the evening. Dennis DeBruler A view of the west side that shows the massive counterweight and the bridge tower: https://www.flickr.com/.../in/album-72157655080811639/ Jon Roma The Color Position Signal is a reminder that this was B&O's initial passenger train route into Chicago. This is the first time I have seen a "backslash" set of lights. What color was used for that configuration? The signal mast also has the lone light on the top that is common with B&O signals. I have yet to learn how that modifies the basic stop (horizontal red), approach (diagonal yellow) and go (vertical green). Dennis DeBruler Why the B&O crossed the Calumet River here in the first place: https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/.../b-passenger... Rod Truszkowski Dennis DeBruler the F,PM also used this line Dennis DeBruler Rod Truszkowski Please spell out the railroad name, I'm not familiar with that one. Rod Truszkowski Dennis DeBruler flint, Pere marquette Dennis DeBruler Probably before the C&O absorbed the PM. That must mean that PM used the Illinois Central Station along with Michigan Central, B&O, and Big Four (from Kankakee). How PM got from Michigan to this bridge across Northernwest Indiana would be an interesting study. Dennis DeBruler IC was the main railroad serving the Columbian Exposition Terminal. The B&O was the only other railroad that had direct access. https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/.../1893-worlds... |
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| Toad Brajkovich posted, cropped Vince Bray Boy do I remember that 😱 https://www.chicagotribune.com/.../ct-xpm-1988-05-08... Toad Brajkovich Bridge lowered on the boat.look up b&o. Calumet river boat lowering on ship. Larry Grzywinski Vance motor service removed the bridge from the ship. Jeffery Hamilton I believe that occurred in 1987 and the wreckage of that bridge is still there waiting to be recycled. |
Scott Griffith posted six pictures of the accident. The comments indicate that the bridge was in the upright position and "the ship drifted into the underside of a stationary bridge." But the article below provided by a comment indicates the bridge was not in the full upright position as the bridge of the boat passed.
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| Wiliam Kruspe commented Here's the article [Actually, it was an allision instead of a collision.] |
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| Scott Griffith posted just found this in a trains mag Rich Thielman I loved working at this tower. It was known as CR tower on the B&OCT.Rich Thielman My memory is somewhat hazy nowdays, but I recall that bridge was 375 feet long. When you were 'breaking in', they would have you lay down on the east end of the bridge, then take it all the way up. What a view that was, but also scary as hell. [Unless they were wearing a fall protector harness that was attached to the bridge, I believe that "ride" would violate OSHA standards :-)] |
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| VintageChicago |
Dave Gonzalex posted four photos with the comment: "Happened in 1988."
Dennis DeBruler shared with the comment: "The Pontokratis allided with the B&O bridge in 1988. The courts determined that B&O was at fault because the bridge was at 67 degrees instead of 83 degrees and that constituted an unreasonable and latent obstruction to navigation on the river."
Dennis DeBruler
, was anyone on the ship killed in this ?!?
No, there we no fatalities.
Interesting article that mentions the removal of the bridge by the Vance Corp.
The bridge was designed properly. The bridge position indicator in the tower was not reading accurately. It showed that the bridge was open full, but it was not by a few degrees. The ship was not in the center of the channel and hit the bridge. There was contention that the ship would have hit the bridge anyway, even if it was open fully, but it was not open fully so the responsibility fell with the railroad.
Ken Jamin
bridge not fully open. That’s why the railroad lost the lawsuit. But the ship wasn’t in the middle of the channel. |
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Back in better days when it was still being used by passenger trains.
This bridge blocked traffic in 1965 as well as May 1988 because of a broken shaft.
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| Scott Griffith posted Lake front B&O Bob Lalich This is one of a number of photos taken by Otto Perry at this East Side location. More can be found on the Denver Public Library site:http://digital.denverlibrary.org/.../mode/all/conn/and |
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| Rick Smith posted B&O "Capitol Limited", the rear being adorned with Pullman-Standard built 5 DBR - lounge blunt-end observation, "Metcalf", is shown eastbound, crossing the B&O (corrected per Bob Lalich, from earlier stated as "B&OCT) Strauss heel-trunnion bascule bridge at the Calumet River. Following the *allision* (a nautical term) of the freighter vessel "Pontokratis" with the bridge in May 1988, the seemingly brownfield-entombed remains of this bridge has become a captivating if not pre-occupying subject of periodic review within this group. -==- [photo - courtesy, John H. Kuehl] Bob Lalich This line and bridge was owned by the B&O, rather than its B&OCT subsidiary. |
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| Scott Griffith posted The Penn and NYC were also still using swing bridges when B&O constructed their Strauss-trunnion bascule bridge. From another posting: "1913 B&O Lake Front bridge" |
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| Bob Lalich commented on the above posting Here is a before and after drawing from HAER. |
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| Rod Sellers posted Where am I? [A different exposure, a 1918 photo showing it in the down position] |
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| Rod Sellers commented on his post B&O Railroad bridge located at approximately 97th and the Calumet River. Photo is dated 1912 and the bridge was under construction at the time. Bridge was first used September 14, 1914. The B&O bridge was a single leaf bascule bridge and replaced a swing bridge at the location. Bridge was used until it was struck by a ship, the Pontokraitis in May 1988. In order to clear the river for transportation it had to be destroyed. Chela Ruiz Rod Sellers Where was the Pontikratis (sounds Greek) coming from when this occurred ? Bob Lalich Chela Ruiz - one report I read stated the Pontokratis, a Cyprus registered vessel, left its berth at the 6.8 mile mark of the Calumet River. I believe that is the marker for Lake Calumet. Rod Sellers Chela Ruiz According to the court case in this matter "Around 6:20 p.m., the Pontokratis departed her berth at approximately mile 6.84 of the Calumet River" Bob Sinnokrak As you can see, the forward 80% of the vessel had already passed the bridge. The resulting law suit found the bridge operator had failed to open to the full 86 degrees and the bridge was actually coming down before the vessel cleared. |
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| Scott Griffith posted 1913 B&O Lake Front bridge Gary Golden Before the maintainers would qualify to work CR Tower you had to ride the bridge to the top...1975. |
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| David Daruszka commented on the above posting Rod Sellers commented on a post Photo of B & O bridge across the Calumet River with four lift bridges in the background. Each bridge had two tracks so there were ten sets of railroad tracks which crossed the Calumet River at that location. |
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| John W. Barriger III |
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Dave Arganbright commented on a post John Uhlich Interesting term, "allision"...typo? Dennis DeBruler John Uhlich Nope. Ship hit a stationary object as opposed to another moving vessel. http://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/2014/06/allision.html |
This bridge blocked traffic in 1965 as well as May 1988 because of a broken shaft.
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| Bob Lalich provided this to answer a question he posted "A friend came across a 1965 agreement between CSL and BRC providing the former with trackage rights over the latter for the purpose of interchange with the EJ&E while the B&O Calumet River bridge was out of service. Does anyone recall the reason the bridge was out of service?" Dennis DeBruler: Bob Lalich Pennsy's hoist engine blowing apart was also interesting. |
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| MWRD posted Sewer construction on July 27, 1917, viewed looking east at the intersection of Houston Avenue and 97th Street in Chicago. Dennis DeBruler: With the Pennsy and NYC lift bridges over the Calumet River in the background. And the B&O bridge is peaking over the spoils pile. |
I'm glad that a comment noted that the B&O bridge is still intact in this 1973 photo.
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| Gary Sturm posted Chicago Short Line at their enginehouse in southeast Chicago in 1973. |
David Daruszka shared four photos:
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Michael Siola posted 20 photos with the comment:
On May 6th, 1988, the 16,933 ton Cyprian bulk freighter PONTOKRATIS was on her way down the Calumet River heading northward for Lake Michigan. The empty ship was riding high in the water as she passed under the Calumet Skyway bridge approaching the drawbridge at 95th Street. As she sailed past a cluster of railroad bridges, her ten story superstructure struck the former B&O Railroad single leaf Strauss heel-trunnion Bascule bridge just southwest of the 95th Street bridge.The collision caused the partially raised railroad bridge to collapse onto the rear portion of the Pontokratis locking the two in a tangle of 2000 tons of mangled steel. The busy shipping channel in the Calumet River was subsequently closed for 10 days.A later court case determined that the railroad bridge had not been fully raised to allow the sip to safely pass through the channel.
Brian R. Wroblewski: I recall reading about how the bridge had issues with it's lift mechanism & the interlocked signals & release system. It had something to do with the switches & sensors.
Gerald Winski: Was the bridge replaced or abandoned ?
Dennis DeBruler: This collection of photos is a strong deja vu. This page more accurately acknowledges the source of these photos:
[Most of the photos are already in this blog so I didn't take the time to find new photos.]
Karen Limardi shared with the comment: "Wow I never knew about this !"
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Gerald's comment Abandoned. This was B&O's original route into Chicago that connected with the IC. By this time, B&O had long moved most of its traffic to the B&OCT. The truss in the foreground on the right side of this photo is the rocker arm of the remnant of the bridge. Taken from the 95th Street Bridge on May 21, 2016. |
The third image in a 1914 report has some information on this bridge.
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