A majority of the line opened in 1858, and officially opened to traffic by early 1859. The new mainline was the first to connect Pittsburgh to Chicago, both major Great Lakes Area cities.
The western portion of the mainline extended from Gary, Indiana to Chicago.
The Pennsylvania Railroad began leasing the PFtW&C in 1869, and fully incorperated it by 1918.
The line became a heavy mainline, forcing double track by 1906. Crossings of the Chicago and Calumet River also were rebuilt to heavier standards.
By 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with competitor New York Central to form the Penn Central Railroad.
However, the PFtW&C stayed separate from the Penn Central and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 1973.
The railroad became part of Conrail in 1976, which downgraded much of the route to Pennsylvania. However, the section between Gary and Chicago retained some freight importance.
When Conrail was split between CSX Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway in 1998, the NS acquired this line. It currently parallels another mainline, and both combined are known as the Chicago District.
12/03/21
Located in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, this bridge crosses West 61st Street at S. Stewart Avenue.
Built in 1898 as the railroad raised their tracks through the area, the bridge consists of a single through plate girder span, set onto stone abutments.
In addition, the bridge consists of a ballasted deck.
This type of bridge is typical for early grade separations in Chicago.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some deterioration.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.