logo

CN E. Fork Galena River Bridge #9

Pratt Through Truss over E. Fork Galena River
Galena, Jo Daviess County, Illinois

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name CN E. Fork Galena River Bridge #9
Built By Illinois Central Railroad
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Currently Owned By Canadian National Railway
Length 227 Feet Total, 127' Main Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 12 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Pratt Through Truss and Concrete T-Beam
Substructure Type Concrete and Steel Pile
Date Built 1923
Traffic Count 10 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
CN Bridge Number 160.9
Significance Moderate Significance
Documentation Date April 2018
In 1850, the Illinois General Assembly began working on a railroad to connect the southernmost point of Illinois at Cairo to the furthest northwest point at Galena.

President Millard Fillmore signed the land grant for the new rail line in 1850, making it the first Land Grant railroad constructed.
The first parts of the line were built south from Freeport. The line from Galena to Freeport was a portion of the original Chicago & Galena Union Railroad.

Construction began in 1851, and the line reached Cairo by early 1856. Upon completion, the road was the longest in the world. It would be named the Illinois Central.

The railroad backbone of Illinois also had many connections. At Centralia, a line branched towards Chicago. At Cairo, the line continued south via steamboat to New Orelans.

The northern section of the line ran from Bloomington/Normal to Galena, and up to the Mississippi River. The final 15 miles in Illinois opened in 1870, as part of the line into Iowa.

The line ran into significant obsticals. Near Galena, the terrain is some of the most rugged in Illinois, meaning the railroad had to use various vallies to build through the area.
At La Salle, the Illinois River is a signficant barrier, and a bridge nearly half a mile long was required.

Freeport also became a major stop as the Illinois Central. In the 1880s, a line would be added to Madison, Wisconsin; as well as to Chicago.

Bloomington, La Salle, Mendota and Dixon also were major stops; crossing various railroads heading into Chicago.

The line had a stable traffic base, and in 1972, the Illinois Central became the Illinois Central Gulf, after a merge with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio.

Despite the lines significance, the segment from Freeport to Centralia was abandoned in 1985. However, exceptions existed.
The Illinois River Bridge at La Salle, and track as far south as Oglesby were purchased by a gravel mine, Buzzi Unicem; who owns and operates it now.
The remaining portions of the line are owned by Canadian National, although Illinois Central is still an active subsidiary.

The remaining portion from Galena to Freeport is the Freeport Subdivision.
07/17/21


Located east of Galena, this large truss bridge is the ninth crossing of the E. Fork Galena River.
Built in 1923 as a through girder and trestle bridge, the truss consists of a 6-panel riveted Pratt Through Truss. The approach was replaced in 2000, and consists of concrete modular T-girders. The substructures on the bridge consist of concrete.
Typically, a Warren Truss or large girder would've been used in this relocation during the 1923 rebuild. It is unknown why a riveted Pratt span would've been used.
Today, the bridge is still used by railroad traffic. Little major work has been done to the bridge, other than the updates to the approaches.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no major deterioration noted.

The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Illinois Central 1973 track profile
Contractor American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele



Widget is loading comments...



© Copyright 2010- John Marvig and Contributors. All Rights Reserved