- 1859: 57 miles completed from Janesville to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin by the Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1862: 65 miles completed from Fond du Lac to Fort Howard (Green Bay), Wisconsin by the Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1985: Route abandoned between Fond du Lac and Clyman and purchased for trail development
- 1988: Fond du Lac to Green Bay segment sold to Fox Valley Western Railway
- 1988: Fond du Lac to Green Bay segment sold to Fox Valley Western Railway
- 1993: FV&W purchased by Wisconsin Central, Ltd
- 1995: Chicago & North Western purchased by Union Pacific Railroad
- 1998: Janesville-Fort Atkinson segment abandoned
- 2001: Canadian National Railway acquires Wisconsin Central, Ltd
- 2003: Line through Fond du Lac abandoned
- 1989-Present: Clyman-Fond du Lac segment is used by Wild Goose State Trail
- 1995-Present: Union Pacific operates the line from Clyman to Fort Atkinson as the Clyman Industrial Lead
- 2001-Present: Canadian National operates the line between Fond du Lac and Green Bay as the Fox River Subdivision
10/25/22
Located in Janesville, this large deck girder is the northernmost of three active railroad bridges across the Rock River in the city.
Built in 1912, the bridge consists of six standard deck girder spans, set onto stone and concrete substructures. In addition, the bridge is approached by a stone arch span on either side, which was built in 1883.
The previous bridge at this location was a three span Whipple Deck Truss, built in 1883.
Historic photo of the previous bridge
The concrete deck on the eastbound tracks is crumbling, while the deck on the westbound tracks is an open deck bridge.
Only one track is still in use, and the bridge is in fair condition. The concrete piers added in 1912 appear to have been built for a third track.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the old approaches to a common design. This bridge has been funded for a rehabilitation or replacement, but it is currently unknown what alterations will be made to this bridge.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | WSOR Rock River Bridge (Edgerton) |
| Downstream | Jeffris Park Trail Bridge |