Aban/Nickel Plate Bridge over Black River near Sheffield, OH

(Satellite)

Allen Bender posted eight photos with the comment:

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The Nickel Plate cross the river three times in that area.

1953/55 Avon Quad @ 24,000

Fortunately, this photo confirms that I have the correct satellite location.

knicknack, Jan 2026

TP&W Farmdale Bridge over NKP/LE&W near East Peoria, IL

(no Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

At first, I was confused by the skinnypiers in the middle and the fat piers on the edges.

Street View, Aug 2011

But these photos confirmed that the skinny piers are parallel to the NKP tracks while the fat piers are square with the TP&W tracks so that they can be smaller.

Noah Haggerty posted four photos with the comment: "An eastbound Toledo, Peoria & Western mixed freight led by three different EMD locomotives cross over the N&W at Farmdale Bridge around late 1979. On the rear of the train, SW1500 #305 is giving the train a push up Washington Hill. John & Roger Kujawa Photo, Thomas Dyrek Collection."

David Jordan: The single TP&W unit makes me wonder if this was the Watseka trip one week after the LaHarpe/Keokuk move? I saw both back then.

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Mark Zook commented on Noah's post
I took this photo, however, it was back when I lived in East Peoria prior to moving to Florida. I believe it was around 1976 or 1977.

Noah Haggerty: Mark Zook Sweet photo! Exact dates escape me, 765 was first on the TP&W in May of 1980.

Mark Zook commented on his comment
here’s another photo. I was chasing the train.

This map helped me find the bridge

1950/50 Peoria East @ 24,000

The NKP route was the western part of the Lake Erie & Western.

Rails and Trails via Dennis DeBruler

US-31 and Trail/Nickel Plate Bridges over Wabash River at Peru, IN

US-31: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

NKP: (Archived Bridge Hunter; Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

Looking East at the railroad bridge from the road bridge.

Street View, Oct 2025

Fred Meuter posted two photos with the comment: "Two bridges spanning the mighty Wabash River near Peru, Indiana. The blue bridge is the Peru Steel Truss Bridge and the second bridge is the New Nickel Plate Bridge, which is part of the trail of the same name. I believe that this was originally a railroad bridge that was converted for walk and bike riding."

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[Fred caught the river at a higher level than the street view.]

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The 610' (186m) long road bridge has spans of 200' (61m). "This is an impressive and attractive example of a state-designed highway truss bridge. It retains good historic integrity. It supposedly is listed as a Select Bridge under the Indiana Historic Bridge Management Plan, which would make it one of the few state-designed bridges with the beautiful arched portal and sway bracing design to be designated for preservation." [HistoricBridges_US-31]

"Built 1939; rehabilitated 1988. Rehabilitated 2019. Former US 31, also know as the Blue Star Highway with plaque at Southwest corner at road intersection" [BridgeHunter_US-31]

Street View, Oct 2025

The 587' (179m) long railroad bridge has spans of 135' (41m). [HistoricBridges]

"This former "Peru and Indianapolis" railroad line was one of the first in Indiana connecting Indianapolis to Peru via Noblesville, Tipton, and Kokomo for a connection with the Wabash and Erie Canal which lay just past the North side of this bridge. Later another rail line was constructed from Michigan City to Peru via Plymouth and Rochester and both lines were merged to form one continuous connection. Later acquired by the Lake Erie and Western Railroad, and later Nickel Plate Road, it was called the IMC division. IMC=Indy to Michigan City. Norfolk and Western later acquired Nickel Plate, and later became Norfolk Southern. In 1989, line was leased to Central Railroad of Indianapolis (CERA), a division of Railtex, and was used little. After CERA and Railtex was bought out by another parent company named Railamerica, Norfolk Southern took back the line and never used it again. It was abandoned in 1999, but Railbanked. Railbanking assures the right of way is left intact in case future transportation needs require it to be reactivated. Sometimes utilities can also use the right of way via the Railbanking clause. The Indiana Trails Fund immediately took possesion of the line form Rochester to Cassville(just North of Kokomo)via a Surface Transportation Board ruling after abandonment was granted and are building the Nickel Plate Trail along this line which includes this bridge. Part of the trail is finished in different areas, but this bridge requires extra safety requirements to protect trail users that have not been completed as of 2009. Bridge is easily viewed from the OLD US 31 Through Truss bridge which is just downstream from the Nickel Plate bridge." [James Norwood via ArchivedBridgeHunter_NKP]

Kevin McNally, Sep 2022

Note the railroad bridge on the right side.

Postcard via BridgeHunter_US-31

HistoricBridges_NKP

Compare the river level in this photo to that in the street view at the top of these notes.

Jordan Baer, Apr 2024

2020 photo by David Case via BridgeHunter_NKP

Jordan Baer, Apr 2024

Dan Mongosa, Oct 2020

South Gary (JO) Tower: NKP vs. NYC/MC in Gary, IN

(Satellite)

Bob Poortinga commented on John Starzyk's post below
South Gary crossing where the NKP crossed the NYC Joliet Branch. Photo courtesy of Wayne Hudak.
I believe the photo is looking east with a westbound on the Joliet Branch.

John Starzyk posted the comment: "I’d love to a see a picture of where the New York central tracks crossed the Nickel Plate RR in Gary, In."

John Starzyk: It was just a block or two east of Broadway and north of 41st Avenue.

Bob Lalich: John Starzyk - the MC Joliet Branch crossed the NKP west of Broadway and north of 41st Ave. The location was called South Gary. It was a very simple crossing - one track for each RR.

Jason Nanista: If this is looking east, then the crossbucks are for the crossing with Adams Street?

John Starzyk: Jason Nanista that’s what I’m thinking

John Starzyk commented on his post
Here’s an early map of some of the Fr in gary

Dropped NS/NKP/LE&W Bridge in Drummer Creek in Gibson City, IL

(Satellite)

I don't normally note short steel girder bridges, but I don't normally see them dropped in a creek.

Steven Johnston commented on Ron Wesolowski's share
In other Gibson City news. They dropped the new bridge.

Street View, Jul 2023
[I learned of the bridge drop because there was a fire at the soybean processing plant in the left background.]

 

Meteorologist Jacob Dickey posted

Looks like a railroad bridge that was being replaced on the Norfolk Southern line in Gibson City on the west side of the town somehow fell off the crane and landed into drummer creek sideways.

📸WCIA Viewer

Joe Juarez: Yep they had Joe's towing trucks out there helping out when we passed it at 10pm last night.

Scott Olivero posted
Railroad bridge broke free from crane sitting in hole sideways on rt9 west in Gibson City, WCIA 3 News
Meteorologist Jacob Dickey shared
Another view of the railroad bridge that fell off the crane and into Drummer Creek in Gibson City today.

Meteorologist Jacob Dickey posted

GIBSON CITY: Another photo shows the railroad bridge for the Norfolk Southern line over Drummer creek sitting in the creek.  It appears that the bridge somehow slipped out or broke free from the crane.

The railroad bridge was being replaced and is located on the west side of town along Route 9.

Looks like an expensive error to me. 

📸Brittany Berger

Richard Casteel: That’s a well use bridge for trains.

Justin Carpenter: A second crane is being assembled in the middle of 47 right now. Guessing/hoping they will have it good as new in a few hours. Glad all that rain heavy rain went south.

Aaron Therien: Had 4 rotator tow trucks there last night when we came through that should get it put in place.

Justin Carpenter: Aaron Therien rotators got it out of the water. 100-ton crane they brought in late last night got it set into place.

Justin Carpenter commented on the above post

(NS+WE)/NKP(W&LE) Bridge over Maumee River in Toledo, OH

(Archived Bridge Hunter; Historic Bridges; Satellite)

"Pin-connected Pratt through truss bridge over Maumee River on Wheeling & Lake Erie RR" [Lucas County index for BridgeHunter]

The bridge is "1,315.0 Feet (400.8 Meters)" long and has a main span of "345.0 Feet (105.2 Meters)." [HistoricBridges]

It is surrounded by industry on both shores so I can't get a decent street view of it.

Street View, Jul 2023

C Hanchey Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 

C Hanchey Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 

C Hanchey Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 

C Hanchey Flickr, License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) 

This is the post that motivated researching this bridge because this is the bridge that is in the background.

Craig Hensley Photography posted

Scenes from the Railroad

The Ironville Rail and Transfer loop sits on a 70 acre lot along the Maumee River in Toledo, OH. With over 28,000 feet of rail which is serviced by in-house locomotives. Onsite there are liquid bulk transloading racks and pumps to move material directly from rail to truck and vice-versa. There is also a self-unloader receiving hopper and conveyor system that can receive bulk products directly from vessels at 2,000 NT per hour. 

Toledo, OH - Octobert 2023

High res: https://www.craighensleyphotography.com/.../Sce.../i-WG77Sd4

US-31 over EWR/NS/NKP/LEW near Plymouth, IN

(Satellite)

I don't normally document overpasses, but I normally don't see a video of a tandem crane lift walking a beam into position.

1:38 video

Thank you for your patience during our beam setting operations as we make progress on the new rail overpass on U.S. 31 northbound in Marshall County! These beams are among the largest in Indiana.

Short delays are possible through early next week as we disassemble and remove the cranes from the work zone - each crane needs 8 semis!

Nick Lange: What railroad was this over?

Bryce Wright: Nick Lange Elkhart & Western

Why is there so much clearance on either side of the railroad? Those long beams seem to be overkill for a railroad crossing.

Street View, Oct 2023

Is the traffic on this shortline heavy enough to justify a separate grade crossing?

Map via EWR

NS/Nickle Plate Trestle over West Branch Conneaut Creek in Conneaut, OH

(Bridge Hunter broke Mar 22, 2023; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)

rtands (source)
Norfolk Southern completes Conneaut Bridge
"Located between Cleveland and Buffalo, the Conneaut Bridge is one of NS’s busiest bridges in the state, with approximately 20 trains crossing it daily. The existing 1,320-foot [402m] bridge was completely replaced with a new 1,300-foot bridge. The new structure is expected to last for 100+ years."

Photo via ConneautOhio

Norfolk Southern posted four photos with the comment:

Our Conneaut Creek Bridge replacement has been recognized by the Master Builders'​ Association of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.’s 2024 Building Excellence Awards for its outstanding design and execution! 🏆 

The Conneaut Creek Bridge, located on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, plays a vital role in our rail network, connecting Cleveland and Buffalo with approximately 20 trains crossing it daily, making it one of the busiest rail bridges in the region. 

Working with contractor Mascaro Construction Company, LP and architect HDR, we replaced our original 1,320-foot bridge with a new 1,300-foot structure designed to last for more than 100 years— ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operations for generations to come. 

Replacing the bridge, while limiting disruption on a key part of our network, was no small feat. This recognition is a testament to the expertise, craftsmanship, and collaboration that made it happen.  

Congratulations to the teams who made this achievement possible! 

Learn more about the project and award here: https://bit.ly/4idOA7J

📷: Mascaro Construction Company

Mascaro Construction Company, LP: Thank you for the opportunity to work with you on this project. It truly was a team effort, and we're very proud to have delivered a great experience for you and the community!

Bridges & Tunnels shared

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