CFE/CSX/Conrail/Pennsy/PFW&C 1858 Bridge in Hobart, IN

(Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Street View; 3D Satellite)

CFE = Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railroad
PFW&C = Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway

Ken Durkel posted two images with the comment:

When news came that the historic Pennsy stone arch bridge in Hobart, Indiana was slated to be replaced this year, I set out to get as many pictures of trains heading across the bridge as I could. Not easy when at most there are three trains a day, and more often than not in the dark. Some days no trains passed.But I did manage to get some of the last handful of trains passing over the 160 year old bridge. Built in 1858 for the P.F.W.&C. this bridge predated the Civil War. Though in recent decades the trains have been few, and for 8 years no trains crossed, for many decades 50-60 trains or more crossed here every day. The first picture is a postcard taken I would guess at least 100 years ago showing a westbound crossing the bridge. The second pic, taken on March 31, 2018, shows 10R crossing the historic bridge in its final months. The last train has since crossed this bridge and it will be replaced soon

Dennis DeBruler Looking at a satellite image, it appears that they have already removed a lot of trees to gain access. https://www.google.com/.../@41.53626,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3
Ken Durkel Yes, they cleared the area in March. Was a lot of overgrowth after one track was removed and the pole line was gone in the 1980s.

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This is a reminder that back in the 1850s, stone arch bridges were popular. The UP/C&NW/G&CU still has another example. They were popular because the main alternative back then was wood truss bridges. American could not even make their own iron rails in the 1850s, let alone truss members for bridges. Obviously, stone lasts a lot longer than wood does.

Ken Durkel posted
CF&E 06 heads west in Hobart, Indiana and across the 160 year old Pennsy stone arch bridge. Built in 1858 for the Pittsburgh Ft. Wayne & Chicago Railroad, this bridge for decades saw at least 50-60 trains a day pass overhead. For the last 35 years the trains have trickled across as the former Pennsylvania Railroad Ft. Wayne Line is now only a shadow of its former self.
The last train passed over this bridge in October, 2018 and it is currently being replaced.
Taken on May 09, 2018.

Ken Durkel posted
NS 10R rumbles over the 160 year old Pennsy Stone Arch Bridge on the CF&E in Hobart, Indiana on May 23, 2018. Built for the P.Ft.W. & C. in 1858, the bridge saw its last train pass over in October, 2018 and is currently being replaced, though work on the replacement has slowed if not stopped until spring.
Work on the dam in Hobart at the time resulted in low water levels allowing me to get a photo from this low angle.

Ken Durkel posted
10R heads across the 160 year old Pennsy Stone Arch Bridge on the CF&E in Hobart, Indiana on June 06, 2018. Low water levels due to work on the dam here in town last year allowed me to get the lower ground level perspective seen here.

Ken Durkel posted two photos with the comment:

Not quite a 100% before and after, more of a before and during, on the CF&E's ex PRR Ft. Wayne Line. in Hobart, Indiana. In the first picture, NS 66Z rolls across the 160 year old Pennsy Stone Arch Bridge, built in 1858 for the P.Ft. W.& C. Taken on April 08, 2018.Second photo, taken on March 26, 2019, NS 10R rolls across the new bridge. The old stone arch bridge is beginning to be dismantled, but work remains. When all is completely done I will get a completed "after" shot.

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Ken Durkel posted two photos with the comment:

With the 160 year old PRR Stone Arch Bridge in Hobart, Indiana now completely gone, and just a few finishing touches remaining on the new CF&E bridge, it now makes for a pretty good "before and after" comparison.First, CF&E 07 heads west over the old bridge on August 02, 2018.Second, with the old bridge completely gone, CF&E 06 rolls across the new bridge on May 18, 2019.

Wayne Hudak Was the new bridge built for single track?
Dennis DeBruler Thanks for the closure. I noticed that railroads are now sometimes using bents again instead of piers. But of course the bents use steel for the piles and concrete for the cap. It looks like the bents are wider than the deck so that another track could be added.

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Dennis DeBruler commented on Ken's post
Would the old bridge have had enough capacity to handle the river flows of this wet Spring? This photo by David S was taken May, 2019. https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m8!1e2!3m6...