Later that year, the line would be extended further east to Marseilles.
This passenger system would parallel an existing Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, the Illinois River, the I&M Canal and what would become US-6 (later I-80).
Two years later, additional extensions would be made. On the east end, the line would be extended another town east to Seneca. To the west, it would be extended from DePue to Princeton, through Bureau.
With the continuing success, and success of the Illinois Traction System to the south; the railroad continued to expand eastward.
1908 brought an expansion to the south as well. A spur was built to Streator, where it would connect to the Illinois Traction System; forming an interurban between St. Louis, Peoria, Chicago, Joliet and Springfield.
The next year, the line was expanded east to Morris, and it finally reached Joliet by 1912. In Joliet, the line connected to the Chicago and Joliet Electric Railway.
Unfortunately, with the dawn of the automobile; interurban service fell out of popularity, primarily in rural areas.
The first abandonment came in 1924, when the branch to Ladd was removed. By 1929, with the beginning of the Great Depression, the system would be cut back to DePue; and the Streator Branch abandoned.
Within 5 years of the Great Depression, this interurban went belly up. The last of the trackage was destroyed in 1934.
Even without the events of the Great Depression, the CO&P undoubtedly would have failed. US-6 was created for automobiles in 1926; the Rock Island continued passenger service until the 1978 and Interstate 80 was built between 1960 and 1962.
However, in present day; one can find many remains of the CO&P, including reused bridges, and a trail along significant parts of the grade.
08/26/21
Located in the City of Ottawa, this large deck girder bridge crosses the Fox River parallel and connected to the Illinois & Michigan Canal aqueduct over the river.
There is some confusion regarding the build date of this bridge. The Historic American Engineering Record suggests that the bridge was built in 1903 as the interurban railroad extended towards Marseilles. However, other sources seem to believe the bridge was built in 1930, when a belt line was completed through Ottawa.
The author has done considerable research into this bridge. It is believed that this line was built in 1930 as a belt line for the Chicago & Illinois Valley Interurban through Ottawa. An excerpt has been pulled from the Daily Republican Times from Wednesday, December 31, 1930:
"The new roadbed as completed taps the interurban main line at the old white bridge east of Ottawa. It then follows the I&M canal bank through the city as far west as the CB&Q and Rock Island jointly owned spur to the National Plate Glass Factory. From Chestnut Street westward to where the belt line interacts with the Illinois Valley passenger route, the sand works spur, as it is known, is jointly used by the “Q”, C.R.I. & P. and Illinois Valley – two of which are steam lines and one electrically operated."
According to Sanborn Maps, a wagon bridge has existed at this location for many years. This wagon bridge consisted of many short pony truss spans, which would have been replaced upon the construction of this bridge.
Upon abandonment in 1934, emergency repairs were made to the west abutment, which included the complete replacement with concrete and fake stone.
In 2015, the bridge still has the original poles that carried the electric wires for the railway. It has since been converted to a trail.
Additional and unused stone piers sit downstream of this bridge, which were from the former wagon crossing.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition. It should continue to be used for trail use for years to come.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview. A Historic American Engineering Record photo is in this series.
| Upstream | CSX Fox River Bridge |
| Downstream | Confluence with Illinois River |