Rust and Rivets by Chipka
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Description
1915 was a good year for iron. Chicago used it to support its famous broad shoulders. In 1915, the Pennsylvania Railroad, South Branch Chicago River Bridge reached completion. It had the heaviest lift span in the country. It was a bold declaration of American industry, and a vital part of the Pennsylvania Railroad Line. It was a tall and impressive structure. It remains so today, though it is dwarfed by the sleek, angular towers that crowd the city’s downtown core.
With the remnants of shrimp with scrambled eggs on my tongue, I walked with Corey in search of this bridge. At the time, I didn’t know its name. I only knew of its towers. Only upon a close approach did I learn that there’s a corrugated metal wheel house perched precariously on top of its span. At least I think it’s a wheel house. For as much data as exists for this bridge, I have yet to learn its anatomical parts. There must be blueprints somewhere a compendium of obscure facts. If such a thing exists, it is probably somewhere in the lowermost bowels of the Chicago Historical Society. I don’t doubt that it could be there…wedged somewhere in between Abraham Lincoln’s first hat and Paul Bunyan’s actual bunion. Okay, Paul Bunyan isn’t exactly a part of Chicago lore, but Chicago has a habit of claiming things. To further worsen matters, Abraham Lincoln’s first hat is probably located in Springfield. But ah…since when did such trivialities as facts ever get in the way of Chicago’s claims? At any rate, I have yet to find an actual blueprint of the bridge (though in today’s climate, such information may be classified, due to the fact that the vertical lift bridge [which probably now belongs to Amtrak] is still in operation, and probably does have some strange tactical value.)
Corey and I snapped hundreds of pictures of this bridge, and though many of our views overlap, I’m sure you’ll be seeing various iterations of this bridge in his gallery, once he gets back to posting. (He’ll be back soon…he’s feeling a serious case of Renderosity withdrawal, and is likely to post like a fiend upon his return.)
Prague’s Karlovy Most (Charles Bridge) is still my favorite bridge, but this one ranks high on my list. It’s flagrantly metallic and gorgeously bumpy with rivets. It sings in odd tones as trains cross its span, or at least I get the impression that it sings, and it is rich in its expression of rust-endowed detail.
I took this picture from as close as I could to what I judged to be its south tower. I wanted to climb the precarious stairs leading up from the railroad span to the wheelhouse (you’ll see that later.) Such a feat would have required a brazen act of trespass, and though I fancy myself a ninja photographer, I usually try to avoid anything that would lead to entanglements with local law. Explaining photographic dedication to the Chicago Police just doesn’t work. The bridge is nothing, if not complex, and hopefully when/if I find the blueprints to this beauty, I’ll also learn how many rivets are holding it together. Judging by the copious number of them that I DID see, on the east-facing side…this bridge has to be the place where all good rivets go when they die.
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As always, thank you for viewing and reading and commenting. It always means a lot!
Comments (25)
bimm3d
wonderful info and photo!!!
mariogiannecchini
Foto molto interessante corredata da informazioni molto dettagliate ! Very interesting photo accompanied by very detailed information!
kgb224
Wonderful capture my friend.Thank you for sharing my friend.
kwami
amazing shot.....
durleybeachbum
Superbly brutal image. The textures are like the skin of a horny handed steel erector.
bmac62
The heavy steel plates and abundant rivets remind me of old photos I've seen from time to time of the construction of the Titanic. Probably could find the same thing during construction of the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate bridge too. Can you picture roughly dressed men heating and throwing red hot rivets from a fire bucket to a catcher to the rivet hole and a man with a sledge hammer driving it home? Rythmic manual labor. Fine photo with A-1 narrative.
Meisiekind
Oh Chip - after staring at this wonderful creation of rust and rivets and then reading your most entertaining narrative, I am now ready to face the rest of the day with vigour!!! Your image of this most amazing structure, that have clearly whethered many storms in its lifetime, is just mindblowing! I just LOVE it!! Well done my friend! :)
tamburro
Fantastic colors and textures, great shot!!! Hugs.
ladyraven23452
great work and i dident know all that stuff about it cool.
MrsRatbag
Wonderful detail of this bridge; I just love rivets, I always want to run my fingers over them! Great work, Chip!
thecytron
AmaZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzing photo manipulation!
Sea_Dog
I like the bold statement this image makes. Strength, endurance, reliability. You know the bridge has a long history and hasn't received a lot of care - but it is still their, doing its job. Well done, chip.
Markintosh
Great composition!
helanker
WOOOA it is a gorgeous capture of all kinds of iron, rusty iron. I love rusty iron. I think this looks fabulous.
tennesseecowgirl
wonderful work.
elfin14doaks
Great shot and I still like the idea of this bridge being the official bridge. Ok when can we set the dedication ceremony???????? I wonder is the bridge still fully functional. That is a lot of rust. You have captured it very well.
blondeblurr
When I first took a glance at this steel monstrosity and admittedly admired all the different textures, colours that were represented here, it occurred to me, that this engineered feast, had an almost cold robotic feel to it... I mean: 'heavy metal'. (humour) Still learning a lot about your City of choice. BB
auntietk
Although my glimpses of THIS Chicago were limited to the underside of the El and a few random sightings, all those rivets and all that metal just SCREAMS Chicago at me. Not the one of art museums and architectural gems and fashionable shops, but the one of the big shoulders. This is a fantastic image!
beachzz
This is so great, I know I would have wanted to cilmb up and on it. I don't supposed the cops'd take a "stupid tourist" excuse, would they? Next time, I'd love to go exploring these back alley places..there's such beauty and detail in old stuff like this!!
nikolais
there IS a lot of beauty in such mosters to the sensitive eye, even at close range. excellent work, Chip!
moochagoo
Love the textures and colors !
myrrhluz
Fascinating! I went into a navy aircraft carrier once, and there is the same feel of a massive man made structure that is right in your face. There are no decorative facades covering its function. What wonder and excitement must have been present at its building and completion. Wonderful texture, detail and narrative.
Cgaynor
Wonderful photo - we're taking the Amtrack to Chicago during Thanksgiving week- will look for the bridge.
gmvgmvgmv
Informative historical perspective; terrific capture. Love the light and textures.
blinkings
This is wonderful. I really love the colours you have captured. I love rust!