Erie Bi-Level overpasses

Over IN-15 near Newton, IN

(Bridge Hunter Eastbound Track, Bridge Hunter Westbound Track, Satellite)

The lower, grade-level bridge carried eastbound trains while the upper bridge carried westbound trains. The grade-level track was the first one built. Later, when they double tracked it they built the second track at a higher elevation across this part of Indiana. [Bridge Hunter]

Hector Acre posted
Lewis Mann Picture taken at SR 15, looking north. Bridge is gone now. SR 15 is level with the lower track now.Russell M. Schwartz I was always told that they built the best grade for each direction.

Over CR-700

(Bridge Hunter Eastbound Track, Bridge Hunter Westbound Track, Satellite)

Bridge Hunter Westbound has some pictures of the north side of the concrete arch bridge. It was rather wide to hold the embankment that is on top of it.

Josh Lemier commented on the above posting
Yes all gone. There was a smaller one just a little more west of this location on CR700W which was removed last year as pictured By Don Ellison.

Erie did not have standardized construction techniques or they used different subcontractors for different crossings. The first track used concrete and steel girder bridges. The second track used concrete girders and a concrete arch.

Update: The following explains that different construction techniques were used because they were built by different predecessor companies at different times.

Mark Llanuza posted
Photographer Mike Schafer captured this eastbound near Disko Ind .Gary Clark and i went back to the same location last year to match his photo up with what it is today on the Erie main line

Mark Llanuza posted
Erie GE's going westbound taken by photographer Don Ellison March 1976 .Me and Gary Clark went back to the same location last year 2017 to match it all up again at Disko Ind.
Scott Spencer 40 years of trees.

Between Griffith and Crown Point

Mark Llanuza posted two photos with the comment: "Its March 27th 1976 only a few days left of the Erie .Long time friend Gary Clark and i chased this eastbound to Crown Point Ind as he highball's out of town about five miles east of Griffith Ind."
Matt Myers I've always wondered about the reasoning behind the difference in heights between the Eastbound & Westbound mains on the Erie in Indiana. Sure made for great photos, but I'm sure there was a more practical reason for the grade separation.
Mark Llanuza Matt Matt Myers the reason for the levels was for the extra wide loads it could carry.

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