Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 221, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1916 — MADE RECORD TIME [ARTICLE]

MADE RECORD TIME

ENGINEERS PROUD OF SPEED IN BRIDGE ERECTION.

Putting in Place of Structure Over Chicago River Claimed to Be Most Pemarkable Achievement in Railroad History.

One hundred and sixty passenger trains and 35 freight trains daily are uow crossing the large new bascule bridge of the Northwestern railroad between Deering and Clybourn, just south of Fullerton avenue, over the North Branch of the Chicago river, as the result of the successful completion of one of the greatest achievements claimed by the operating officials of the Northwestern in the history of that company. The work that has been finished included the removal of the old bridge after it had been cut to pieces, and suburban patrons over the Milwaukee division watched with Interest the work of taking away the pieces of the structure over which they were carried fpr many years.

Traffic on the old bridge was suspended at 12:23 Sunday morning and the new bridge was in position ready for trains at six o’clock' Sunday evening, the period of interruption to traffic being less than 18 hours. The schedule of Work provided for the removal of the old swing bridge in the center of the fiver, as the new bridge could not be lowered for service before the old one was out of the way, and putting into place a considerable number of parts of the new bridge that could not be put in while traffic was maintained of until the bascule span was lowered.

Immediately after the last train had crossed the bridge the structure was opened and the ends were blocked up on the timber fender. A scow derrick pulled up on each side of it and began removing the operating equipment. At the same time eight oxyacetylene torches were set to work cutting the old structure in pieces small enough to be lifted by the derricks. By 7:30 in the morning the old bridge had been cut to pieces and the middle portion removed, leaving the way clear for the new bridge to be lowered.

During the time the old bridge was being cut apArt erecting crews were rapidly settirg In place for the new bridge those parts which could not be erected without lowering the structure. Promptly at 8:15, the time fixed in the schedule, the new bridge was lowered to within a few feet of the closed position. The new bridge contains 2,625,800 pounds of structural steel. To counterbalance the weight of the span, concrete counterweights containing 14,000 cubic feet were molded, the total weight of the two being 2,360,000 pounds. Holes in the counterweights were left to add weight in the form of pig iron or more concrete, but it was found unnecessary. From the time the first earth was turned for the foundation until the first train passed over the completed bridge was only eleven months.