NS/NKP Bridge over Calumet River in Chicago

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(Bridge Hunter, Historic Bridges, Streetview1, Streetview2)
When this bridge came up in a Facebook comment a few months ago, someone mentioned how hard it is to access. As shows by the streetviews, the Torrence Avenue Bridge has a pedestrian walkway, but the only parking area I found within walking distance was Ford's Visitor Lot. I confirmed the doors to the visitor center were locked. (It was a Saturday.) There were enough fences, lack of sidewalks, etc., that I did not feel comfortable leaving my van in the lot and walking to the bridge. This shot was taken from 122nd Street. (Both Bridge Hunter and Historic Bridges used boats to get pictures.)

There are wildlife sanctuaries to the north and industry (Ford) to the south. The sanctuary is doing its job. I spotted what I believe to be an egret in the pond that extends from the road to the finger you see above near the bridge. Unfortunately, the camera focused on the brush by the road instead of the bird. Since egrets are just a type of heron, I'll play it safe and switch to "heron." (NWF) Then I saw a handful of herons in the pond north of the street.  The street did not have a shoulder big enough to safely park on or I would have stopped and taken some better pictures.

A profile picture taken from 122nd Street

Birds-Eye View

Mark Hinsdale commented on his posting

"NKP on NKP..."

Under overcast skies, Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 #765 heads for Chicago to participate in the Franklin Park (IL) Railroad Daze on Saturday, and power an excursion train to Janesville WI on Sunday.

[It is nice to see a fireman doing a correct job and not having any soot (black) in the exhaust. Their service train includes three gondolas to bring their own coal. I don't know if they are supplying the passenger cars for an excursion or if they are living quarters for the NKP 765 crew. I believe Amtrak is providing the cars for the Union Station to Galesburg, IL excursions.]

Norfolk Southern posted

Keeping it rolling across the Calumet River in Chicago, Illinois! 🚂

Seen here is a double stack intermodal train—a train of specially equipped flat cars where containers are stacked two-high.

This oil train was parked on the north side of 122nd. Did this train run through from CN or is NS using a CN engine to pay for "horsepower hours?" If it was a run through, I thought CN trains were supposed to use the former EJ&E to go around Chicago instead of through it.

Jacob Diorio posted
BCOL 4602 makes a rare appearance on NS BH10 as it crosses the Cummings Drawbridge in South Chicago. 12/28/20
Marty Gatton: This north or south of the bridge?
Jacob Diorio: Marty Gatton south.

Larry Amaloo posted

NS 216 comes across Cummings Drawbridge in Chicago with a pair of FEC SD70M-2's.

https://flic.kr/p/2689Lh9

Steven J. Brown posted
Nickel Plate 587 and Nickel Plate 765 are about to cross the Calumet River on the final leg of the journey to Chicago pulling the Independence Limited heading for the NRHS convention in Chicago, July 20, 1993.

I didn't notice it in Steven's photo above, but I did in this one: The Ford plant used to have rail service back there.

Chuck Paulson posted
Nickel Plate Bridge over the Calumet River.
Dan Schneider: I worked cummings bridge in the 70's. Ford plant on the right.
Chuck Paulson: Dan Schneider I was going over it back then ('68-'87) on yard jobs up until '74, then road trains. I switched that Ford plant many, many times.
Dennis DeBruler: I checked a satellite image. All of those tracks are now gone.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6642041,-87.5632485,664m/data=!3m1!1e3
Dan Schneider: Dennis DeBruler ford now trucks in all of their parts now I believe
[But other comments indicate the 134th Street ramp has been expanded.]

8 photos including details and a link to a video