(Metra+CSX+IAIS)/Rock Island Bridge over Hickory Creek in Joliet, IL

(no Bridge Hunter?, Satellite)

This blog posting was motivated by a photo by Dillon Harrison of the NKP 765 on the bridge when Metra sponsored rides on the former Rock Island route to Joliet.

Dillon Harrison posted

T'was a beautiful sight to see indeed.

"The Joliet Rocket" beginning its first revenue excursion trip inbound into Chicago, On the former Rock Island. Appropriately, A Rock Island herald was adorn to the side of the Aux Water tender.
Sammi Curr Derailed 3 times yesterday.Kyle Flanigan Lead pilot wheel was being picky on a couple switches is all by what I was told.Todd Pearson Was in the yard and it wasn't surprising.

He also caught the NYC Hickory Creek observation car on the bridge. One thing that struck me was how high the water was in his photo compared to the satellite image. He took his photo on June 17. My photo on June 21 is just a few days later, but the water has already receded well below the boundary in the pier between the cut-stone and the concrete.

I could see just part of the bridge by walking out onto the US-30 bridge.

20170621 9299

Digitally zooming in on the pier in the center of the photo, it appears to be concrete on top of cut stone. That typically means that a deck truss bridge was replaced by a deck steel girder bridge. This view also shows a lower river level.

On my way back to the van, an inbound Metra commuter crossed US-30 so I grabbed a couple of shots because you need to establish if you see the engine first or last to record the direction of a commuter because they operate push-pull.

Update:

Robby Gragg posted
NKP 765 over Hickory Creek in Joliet.
[This is a year after Dillon's photo. I see the river level is running high again. The smoke is blowing backwards because this is probably one of the deadhead moves where the diesel locomotive on the other end pulls the train back to Joliet for its next trip to LaSalle Station.]