EJ&E Bridge #728 over Indiana Harbor Canal

(Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; 3D Satellite) There is another EJ&J Scherzer bridge at the other end of the Indiana Harbor Canal. The other bridges in Kevin's photo are described in Lake Corridor Bridges.

Kevin A Heggi posted
5-9-07 Indiana Harbor Ship Canal....as seen from the Youngstown Side...
Michael Bachmann Bridge 728, N & S in background
Dennis DeBruler Before the "Blue Bridge" was built: https://www.google.com/.../@41.6619959,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3

Kevin A Heggi posted again
HIC Tower, I was never disappointed with it's photogenic qualities.
Kevin A Heggi: I worked as a contractor in safety...had full access.

Facebook comments on Kevin's second post

 

railroad_journal posted

Indiana Harbor Canal

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 roundhouse for Inland Steel.]

Jim Griffith posted

Birds-Eye View

When I was looking at a satellite image, it looked like the tower was over the tracks. This birds-eye view confirms it and Bob Lalich commented that "The EJ&E ran through the old high tension towers when the bridge was built." Comments in Flickr indicate "My consulting engineer tells me that the electrical transmission line above the EJ&E is owned by U.S. Steel and was once used to transfer electrical current between the Gary Works and the South Works." Note that EJ&E itself was owned by U.S. Steel. The tracks outside the plant were sold to CN whereas a new company was formed to switch the tracks inside the Gary Works.

Bob Lalich commented on Jim's posting
Here is another photo showing the bridges over the canal at Indiana Harbor. This photo is from the Barriger collection on Flickr. The EJ&E bridge is on the left. The bridge number is curious. I believe the CLS&E built the bridge. Could it be that the number was changed when the EJ&E acquired the CLS&E?

Bob Lalich commented on Jim's posting

CLS&E bridge and IH canal under construction.

I asked what CLS&E stood for and Bob responded: "Chicago Lake Shore & Eastern, which built the line from Illinois Steel (USS South Works) to Pine Jct."

Kevin A Heggi commented on Jim's posting
Kevin A Heggi I photo'd this bridge a lot when I worked at the mill

Screenshot

Video of the bridge lowering for NS 7148 (GP60) and then raising and lowering for Donald C. Tugboat and a tow of two diesel fuel barges coming from the lake. I assume they are headed for the oil refinery. I wonder how the cameraman got access to this spot. The buildings of the steel plant along the NS and canal look rather modern.

The pump ends of each barge is in the middle. I notice they use John Deere engines. I included the winch and some of the cabling that is used to tie the two barges together. The tugboat is an interesting hybird of a river tugboat (its pilot house can be raised and lowered) and a lake tugboat (it has a pointed bow).

Screenshot

Screenshot

Another video of a tow movement has the steel mill in the background. This also appears to be a couple of tanker barges. Unfortunately, he never turned the camera to catch the railroad bridges in an upright position! In the comments he indicates Hick Tower is right behind him. He never answered the question of having a problem accessing that area. The comments also indicate that the IHB Canal is one of the most toxic waterways in the entire country.

Screenshot

(For future reference, videos switching the steel mill: 1, 2, 3, 4. Videos of steel mill: 1, 2.)

A photo of its new neighbor to the north (and the former Inland Steel Mill in the background) evidently taken from these EJ&E tracks. (If you click to the left, you see more pictures of the mill.)

Update: Kevin A Heggi posted three photos with the comment: "IH Ship Canal...first hot metal train over the bridge 5-8-2009."

1

2

3

Gary Clark posted
A rare EJ&E special passenger move at Hick Tower (Indiana Harbor) in May of 1996. Photographed with a Canon F-1 and 20mm lens on Kodachrome 25.
Steven W Panek Yes. That is Bridge 728.

Mike Kasrich posted
EJ&E at Hick