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18th Street Railroad BridgesSt. Charles Air Line Bridge and Baltimore and Ohio RR / Chicago Terminal Bridge |
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| Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date and Builder/Engineer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! |
18th Street Railroad Bridges
St. Charles Air Line Bridge and Baltimore and Ohio RR / Chicago Terminal Bridge | Railroad (Various) Over South Branch Chicago River | Chicago: Cook County, Illinois | Metal Rivet-Connected Warren Through Truss, Movable: Bascule (Heel Trunnion) | 1919 By Builder/Contractor: American Bridge Company of New York, New York and Engineer/Design: Strauss Bascule Bridge Company of Chicago, Illinois |
| Technical Facts |
| Rehabilitation Date | Main Span Length | Structure Length | Main Spans |
| 1930 | 220 Feet (67 Meters) | 220 Feet (67 Meters) | 1 |
This is the bridge that is in the lowered position in
the
photos, the southernmost bridge. According to Historic American Engineering
Record, the St. Charles Air Line Bridge, today a CN
line, was originally 40 feet longer than it is today. Originally, its leaf was a
record-setting (at the time) length of 260 feet. When built in 1919 though it
was designed to be relocated and shortened in anticipation of a future project
to move and straighten the river. When this project was completed in 1930, this then allowed for the bridge to be moved and shortened to its current 220
foot leaf length. The bridge is a Strauss trunnion, having been designed by the
Strauss Bascule Bridge Company. Joseph Strauss was known for his many patents on
movable bridges and other structures dealing with motion. The St. Charles Air
Line Bridge was fabricated by the American Bridge Company. The
operation of this bridge includes a counterweight that is not fixed and moves
independently of the motion of the moving bridge as seen in the diagram to the
right. This bridge still operates for
boats, particularly during the spring and fall seasons to allow access to a boat
storage facility.
A July 29, 1920 article in the Engineering News-Record commented that on June 23, 1920 the bridge made an appearance in a movie.
This is the bridge that is in the raised position in the photos, the northernmost bridge. This bridge was built in 1930 after the realignment of the river. The bridge is 186 feet in length. According to Historic American Engineering Record, the bridge was built by the American Bridge Company. This bridge is no longer used and is permanently in the raised position. It is not as significant as the St. Charles Air Line Bridge, but is still a historic structure worthy of being a part of Chicago. It also make a nice pair with the St. Charles Air Line Bridge.
Not everyone's opinion of "beautiful" is the same, and while some
may feel that these two bridges are gorgeous geometric works of art, with
their pleasingly complex arrangement of trusses that allows the mind to wander
in a tangle of trusses trying to figure out how it all "works" physically,
others feel that these bridges look like unused remnants of a long-gone
industrial era and feel that they are no more attractive than an abandoned,
crumbling warehouse. As such, there has been talk of demolishing them as
residential developments are being built in the area. Some people say these
bridges do not have a place in a financial-centered city filled with modern
skyscrapers. However these comments fail to regard the contrast between modern
and historic that defines Chicago. There are countless places across the city
where modern skyscrapers sit next to a historic skyscrapers. It is this contrast
that makes Chicago special, where heritage and modern construction can live side
by side. It makes the city more interesting. Further, it is like seeing a timeline for Chicago.
Consider the photo on this page. Here we see a
progression, from the industrial past (the bridge, and paper mill) in the foreground, to the financial
businesses and other skyscrapers today rising up in the background. It is a beautiful contrast. And if
not for possible aesthetic value, these bridges should be saved because of their
historic value. The prosperous Chicago of today has this
industrial past to thank. Chicago's success as an industrial and railroad center
were what allowed it to develop into the great city it is today. Chicago owes
these bridges respect, and should preserve them as a memorial to their
less-glamorous, but equally important, past. Also, one thing that could be done
to make these bridges fit in a bit better is to paint them a color that is more
attractive than black. Paint them white or sky blue, or even the maroon that so
many bridges have been painted and they will have a more
"modern" look to them. The
Cherry
Avenue Bridge near North Avenue is an example of how an old railroad bridge
can be made new and spectacular again.
Information and Findings From Chicago Landmarks DesignationGeneral Information Address: North of 16th St., East of Lumber St. This Bridge Is A Designated Chicago Landmark |
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Historic Bridges of Chicago and Cook CountyBrowse Bridges In Google MapsThis special map has bridge markers colored by bridge movable type. Complete Bridge List |
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Chicago and Cook County are home to one of the largest collections of historic bridges in the country, and no other city in the world has more movable bridges. HistoricBridges.org is proud to offer the most extensive coverage of historic Chicago bridges on the Internet.
Chicago / Cook County Bridge NewsMay-June 2012 - Click here to view the Spring 2012 Bridge Lift Schedule. The lift season is shorter this spring due to work on the Chicago Lock, but lifts will also be more frequent.
General Chicago / Cook County Bridge ResourcesView Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) Overview of Chicago Bascule Bridges (HAER Data Pages, PDF)
Chicago Loop Bridges is another website on the Internet that is a great companion to the HistoricBridges.org coverage of the 18 movable bridges within the Chicago Loop. This website includes additional information such as connections to popular culture, overview discussions and essays about Chicago's movable bridges, additional videos, and current news and events relating to the bridges.
Additional Online Articles and Resources - This page is a large gathering of interesting articles and resources that HistoricBridges.org has uncovered during research, but which were not specific to a particular bridge listing.
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