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Schererville Rail Crossing

Lost Pennsylvania Through Truss over Norfolk Southern Railway
Schererville, Lake County, Indiana

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Schererville Rail Crossing
Built By Chicago, Indiana & Southern Railroad
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Last Owned By Norfolk Southern Railway
Length 215 Feet Total
Width 2 Tracks
Height Above Ground 20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Pennsylvania Through Truss
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1905
Traffic Count 0 Trains/Day (Bridge Has Been Removed)
Current Status Removed but Not Replaced
NS Bridge Number 10.97
Significance Regional Significance


This large bridge once crossed over the Pennsylvania Railroad's mainline to Cincinnati.
However, this line would be abandoned and the bridge above would ultimately be abandoned.

This large bridge was a pin connected, 7 Panel Pennsylvania Through Truss. It rested on concrete abutments.

While standing next to this bridge, a sense of awe came over myself. The bridge was absolutely massive.
An absolutely beautiful structure, it was not without it's flaws. A Norfolk Southern employee below the bridge allowed me to take pictures, but also let me know the structure had several micro fractures in the steel, which is why it was to be replaced.
Unfortunately, the structure was removed in November of 2015. The loss of bridges in Lake County, Indiana in 2015 should be alarming. Not only was this significant truss demolished, but the Monon Bridge over the Grand Calumet River was illegally removed by a private individual, seeking monetary gain from the scrap.
This large scale destruction should be approached with caution, as it has made Lake County a less attractive place to visit bridges.

The author ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the large scale design of a rather uncommon structure.
Overall, while unfortunate, this bridge did have serious defects. It was restricted with a speed limit of 10 Miles/Hour at the end of it's life.

The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Firsthand interview with replacement contractor
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele