To help with some scenery ideas for a Chicago traction layout I need to find some pictures of railroad viaducts in Chicago – particularly of those on the West Side like the one on Cermak Rd. just East of Cicero Ave.
I’m surprised to find that despiteall the years I lived there, I have no pictures of them in my collectio, and they’re scarer than hens teeth to find on the internet.
Can anyone help?
Hi!
I share your pain! I was born in Chicago in '44, and lived near Logan Square from '48 to '58, and other parts of the city until 1967. I hung around a lot of viaducts, particularly the C&NW and Milwaukee Road. Of all the hours I spent by the tracks, I have zero pictures to show for it. I will tell you this, all the ones I was around were black painted girder bridges, although in the '60s some may have gone to another color - silver or green. All had the RR Logo on them, and some data that I can’t recall - probably build or paint or inspection dates.
Most of the bridge ends rested on large stone blocks, probably about 18 inches high by 2 or 3 feet long. The depth is unknown to me, as they were all backfilled with fill. Center supports were black girders, and the underneath was black with lots of pigeons.
On the trackside of the bridges, there were the expected guard rails, and intentionally put there or not, ballast ran the distance from one end to the other.
I confess that as an 11 or 12 year old, more than a few times I would kneel down on the other side of the girder “railing” when a steam commuter train was flying by. What a thrill for me, but I cringe when I now think about it…
Mobilman44