created it: the railroad." The B&OCT Bascule Bridge At the time Grand Central was completed, passenger trains approached the terminal by crossing the Chicago River to the southwest over a bridge between Taylor Street and Roosevelt Road, constructed in 1885. This first bridge was replaced by a taller structure in 1901 to accommodate larger boats and ships on the south branch of the river. When the Chicago River was straightened and widened in the 1930s, the United States Department of War insisted the Baltimore and Ohio build a new bridge adjacent to that of the St. Charles Air Line Railroad which crossed the river between 15th and 16th Streets. The new bridge's location (), about seven blocks south of its previous crossing, exacerbated the circuitous route of the Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (B&OCT) trackage leading to Grand Central Station. Both the B&OCT bascule bridge, and that of the St. Charles Air Line Bridge, also a bascule bridge immediately adjacent to it, were built in 1930. the B&OCT bridge sits unused. See also References External links Railway stations in Chicago Central Chicago Union stations in the United States Chicago Chicago Railway stations in the United States opened in 1890 Former Soo Line stations Chicago Demolished buildings and structures in Chicago Former railway stations in Illinois Demolished railway stations in the United States Clock towers in Illinois Solon Spencer Beman buildings Railway stations closed in 1969 1890 establishments in Illinois 1969 disestablishments in Illinois Buildings and structures demolished in 1971 Former National Register of Historic Places in Illinois