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| Name | MTRA 63rd Street Bridge |
| Built By | Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Regional Transportation Authority (Metra) |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Erection Contractor | Kelly-Atkinson Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois |
| Length | 80 Feet Total, 44 Foot Largest Span (East Tracks) 70 Feet Total (West Spans) |
| Width | 6 Tracks, 2 In Use |
| Height Above Ground | 14 Feet 4 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Steel Bent |
| Date Built | 1903 |
| Traffic Count | 30 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/30/2015 |
In 1903, the Chicago and Illinois Western Railroad (C&WI) was incorporated by Dolese and Shepard, a limestone mining company, to construct a new railroad connecting two quarries at Hawthorne, Illinois (Cicero) and Gary, Illinois (Hodgkins). The first 11 miles between Willow Springs and Hawthorne was constructed between 1906 and 1907. In 1914, an additional 2.9 miles was completed along 33rd Street to Western Avenue, where it would connect to the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (PCC&StL). The line would connect to several different Class-I railroads along its route.
In the early 20th Century, the demand for electricity in the Chicago area was growing, and large power plants were constructed. In 1925, the C&WI was purchased by utility company Commonwealth Edison to serve the power plant at Pulaski Road, and Illinois Central Railroad (IC) began operating the line. In 1967, the C&WI would be sold to the Illinois Central. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). The C&WI was fully absorbed by the ICG in 1983. In 1988, the ICG was reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1998, IC was purchased by Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN continues to operate the line between Cicero and Gary; while the segment through Cicero has been sold to the Cicero Central Railroad. The portion of the line along 33rd Street is abandoned, but intact.
View an article describing the track elevation of this line
Located in the Englewood Neighborhood of Chicago, this through plate girder bridge carries the Metra Southwest Service, formerly the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad, across 63rd Street. Built in 1903 as part of a track elevation program, the bridge consists of two distinct structures, which share concrete abutments. The western tracks utilize a 70-foot through plate girder span, while the eastern tracks use two through plate girder spans, set onto steel piers. A platform in the middle of the bridge once served the Englewood Station, which closed in approximately 1963. The entire bridge consists of a ballast deck, typical of 20th Century track elevation structures. Ballast decks were preferred, and often required, by the City of Chicago, as they provided a greater protection to the public passing beneath. The girder spans utilize rounded edges and a floor constructed of parallel floorbeams, typical of structures from this era. American Bridge Company fabricated the steel, while Kelly-Atkinson Construction Company erected the structure. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. Only two of the six tracks remain in use. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Railway Age and Northwestern Railroad; Volume 39 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |