I took this photo facing east on Archer Avenue at the intersection of west 47Th Street. A BNSF Railway intermodal double stack container train is being switched on the south hump at Corwith Yard. A "New" 2006 CTA New Flyer transit coach is waiting for the light to change. This was a one time beautiful concrete viaduct with railings carved out of concrete and many asthetic architectural features. By the 1980's, years of heavy train traffic -Chicago weather -and tall semi trailers either hitting it or getting stuck below, caused the Santa Fe to jackhammer the old concrete railings off around 1987 and replace them with a chain link fence. The city of Chicago lowered the street under it in the early 1990's to accomodate tall semi truck trailers. Notice the sections of missing concrete that expose the overpass bridge's steel girder beams today.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The BNSF Railway's Corwith Yard south hump. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.
I took this photo facing east on Archer Avenue at the intersection of west 47Th Street. A BNSF Railway intermodal double stack container train is being switched on the south hump at Corwith Yard. A "New" 2006 CTA New Flyer transit coach is waiting for the light to change. This was a one time beautiful concrete viaduct with railings carved out of concrete and many asthetic architectural features. By the 1980's, years of heavy train traffic -Chicago weather -and tall semi trailers either hitting it or getting stuck below, caused the Santa Fe to jackhammer the old concrete railings off around 1987 and replace them with a chain link fence. The city of Chicago lowered the street under it in the early 1990's to accomodate tall semi truck trailers. Notice the sections of missing concrete that expose the overpass bridge's steel girder beams today.
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2 comments:
It was a semi-monthly event to see a trailer try to get under the clearly marked viaduct. Most times they would go slowly and just bump the bridge, but a few times they hit the bridge at 30mph and took the top off of the trailer. If you stand under the bridge, you can see the exposed beam on the right of your picture is bent at least 12 to 18 inches in from trucks hitting it.
I still have one of the traffic lights that was knocked off the bridge in 1984. It was left behind by the City and my friend and I dragged it home through waist high snow drifts. I stopped by the City Electric office and asked for a new red lens to replace the broken one; they handed me one free of charge with no questions asked!
I was in may a traffic jam on Archer Avenue due to some truck
trailer getting stuck under there.
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