Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, Bridge No. 6

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, Bridge No. 6

Bridge No. 6 in 1999.
Coordinates 41°43′11″N 87°32′34″W / 41.71972°N 87.54278°W / 41.71972; -87.54278Coordinates: 41°43′11″N 87°32′34″W / 41.71972°N 87.54278°W / 41.71972; -87.54278
Carries Two tracks per span, four total
Crosses Calumet River
Locale Chicago, Illinois
Maintained by Norfolk Southern Railway
Characteristics
Design Vertical-lift bridge
Material Steel
Width 31 feet (9.4 m) each span[1]
Longest span 209.75 feet (63.9 m)[1]
Number of spans Two parallel
History
Designer Waddell & Harrington
Constructed by Dravo Contracting Company
Construction begin 1912
Construction end 1915

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, Bridge No. 6 is a steel vertical-lift bridge consisting of two parallel spans, carrying two tracks each, across the Calumet River in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The structure is currently owned by Norfolk Southern Railway but disused and kept in a raised position.[2]

The current structure replaces an earlier swing bridge on the same site, built for the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. When the United States Army Corps of Engineers began calling for its replacement in 1909, both single- and double-leaf bascule bridge options were considered, as well as vertical-lift options. Construction began on foundations for a single, four-track vertical-lift span before changing to the two parallel two-track spans that were completed in 1915.[1]

The bridge was designated as a Chicago landmark on December 12, 2007.[3]

See also

References

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