|
Key Facts |
Bridge Name |
Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
|
Chicago El |
Plate Girder and Truss |
Railroad (Union Elevated Railway) |
Cook County, IL |
Chicago |
Various Streets of Chicago |
Most people probably do not think of the Union Elevated Railroad, which everyone I have ever met simply calls the El, as a bridge, but it is in fact a giant, continuous grade separation. Not only is it a bridge, but much of it has a great deal of historic value. Parts of this elevated rail line are extremely old, dating to around 1895, those sections being the oldest elevated rail line in the world. Others sections are newer, or have been replaced with new steel beam structures. The older sections are very interesting, with most of them resembling deck plate girder bridges or deck truss bridges with elaborate supports designed to fit around the streets it passes over. The stations for the Chicago El resemble deck truss bridges with a building on top. All of the old sections include riveted construction. The Chicago El gets across the river via the Wells Street Bridge and the Lake Street Bridge. The section that runs over Wells Street south of the Wells Street Bridge is really interested, and retains a great deal of historic integrity. My photo gallery includes photos of the exterior of the State-Lake Station, as well as miscellaneous photos of the Chicago El that I photographed as I toured the city's bascule bridges, including some along that interesting section of Wells Street.
