Lost/Pennsy/Calumet Western Bridge over the Calumet River

(Bridge Hunter; Satellite, the bridge was wrecked by an ocean-going ship in 1962)

Rod Sellers posted
Where am I?

Rod Sellers commented on his post
Answer: Calumet and Western RR swing bridge across the Calumet River east of Torrence Avenue. Beyond this bridge there are 2 bridges in view the Calumet and Western Indiana RR single leaf bascule bridge and Torrence Avenue vertical lift bridge. The NY, Chicago and St Louis RR (Nickel Plate) swing bridge is a little further up the river and is not visible in this photo. In the early 1960s when the Port opened at Lake Calumet the federal government wanted all three of these railroad bridges replaced as hazards to navigation. Two were replaced with vertical lift bridges. the Calumet and Western RR bridge was torn down and never replaced. Attached aerial photo [see above] shows view from the west.

Bob Lalich Flickr Photo

calumet river proposed straightening

Aerial view of navigation obstacles in the Calumet River at Torrence Avenue.

Marty Gatton shared

Bob Lalich commented on Rod's post
The Calumet Western swing bridge was removed after it was hit by an ocean-going ship in 1962. Here is the bridge shortly after the accident.

Another Bridge Hunter

Bob Lalich Flickr

calumet western bridge damaged 5-15-62

Calumet Western RR swing bridge over the Calumet River sits askew after being struck by a ship in 1962. The CW was jointly owned by PRR, CRI&P and IHB. Arrangements were made to use the adjacent C&WI bridge after the accident. The swing bridge was dismantled and never rebuilt.

Marty Gatton shared

Marty commented on his share
From Rod Sellers

Dennis DeBruler commented on Rod's post
It is interesting to see how long it takes for a change to be reflected in the USGS maps. Bob Lalich has commented that the bridge was damaged by an ocean-going ship in 1962 and the route was changed to share the C&WI bridge. But the bridge still appears in this 1965 topo.
1965 Lake Calumet Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

Dennis DeBruler commented on Rod's post
The purple lines show the new tracks that were laid to allow the Calumet Western to share the C&WI Bridge.
1973 Lake Calumet Quadrangle @ 1:24,000
IHB continuing the operation of the Calumet Western explains why it bought the bridge when the C&WI abandoned this branch to Indiana.

When Calumet Western started using the C&WI bridge, they still had their Strauss trunnion bascule bridge.

A 1984 Bob Lalich Flickr photo
C&WI Mainline Bridge
The MP Hammond local passes over the C&WI Mainline bridge over the Calumet River, 8-84. 
Bob Poortinga 6y 
It is interesting that at this date, the C&WI uses one track on the bridge and the Cal Western uses the other.
Bob Lalich 6y 
This was after NS had acquired the C&WI between SL and 81st St. They quickly removed track 1 between SL and 110th St. Track 2 was removed when the Hammond Times moved the printing plant to Munster.
Bob Lalich 3y 
The CW connection to the C&WI was established after the CW swing bridge was hit by a ship in 1962. Here is what I have pieced together from various sources. Even before the CW bridge accident, plans had been drafted to replace the CW and C&WI bridges with a lift bridge in order to aid navigation in light of ocean-going ships using Lake Calumet harbor after opening the St. Lawrence Seaway. Replacing the NKP swing bridge was also part of the overall plan. It was decided not to repair the CW bridge after the 1962 accident, even though it would be years before the new bridge could be built and RoW obtained for the connecting track on the south side of the river. C&WI granted trackage rights to the CW between 123rd and 126th in 1964. I believe a temporary connection was established from the C&WI main south of the river to industrial trackage just to the east. A connection north of the river was built as well. This arrangement lasted until the lift bridge was opened in 1971. The C&WI lift bridge and the Torrence Ave bridge had separate operators.

Larry Candilas posted five images with the comment: "This is for those recently interested in the Calumet and Western swing bridge just downriver from the C&WI bridge."

Gary Siatka: The Calumet swing bridge had been struck by ships a few times. They rerouted to the CWI. This required the removal of roughly 10 houses

1

2

3
Randy Bosma: Note the "C&O Ry, of Ind." from/to Hammond. That's also known as the Hammond Belt Line RR. Very short lived; it was gone by the mid-1920s.

4

5

Larry Candilas commented on his post
Late 1930s

1 of 6 photos of the C&WI bridge posted by Larry Candilas