CPKC Noix Creek Bridge (East)

Name	CPKC Noix Creek Bridge (East) Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge #275.0
Built By	Chicago & Alton Railroad
Currently Owned By	Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited
Superstructure Contractor	Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago
Length	142 Feet Total, 71 Foot Spans
Width	2 Tracks
Height Above Ground	10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Stone Masonry and Concrete
Date Built	1896
Traffic Count	5 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge Number	Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge #275.0
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited Bridge Number	275.0
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	6/19/2016

In 1868, the Louisiana & Mississippi River Railroad (L&MR) began construction on a 51 mile route, extending from the Mississippi River at Louisiana, Missouri to Mexico, Missouri. Simultaneously, the St. Louis, Jacksonville & Chicago Railroad (StLJ&C) was constructing 38 miles of new railroad, extending from Roodhouse, Illinois to Louisiana. The route would be completed in 1873 with the completion of the Mississippi River bridge, and would form an extension of the Chicago & Alton Railroad (C&A) system. The C&A constructed and financed the route, in agreement to lease the newly completed railroad. In 1878, construction began on an additional 157 miles to Bridge Junction in Kansas City, Missouri. The extension was constructed by the Kansas City, St. Louis & Chicago Railroad (KCStL&C) under the same agreement as the remainder of the line. The C&A had constructed a modest network of lines throughout Illinois, and this route provided a western extension to Kansas City. The StlJ&C was sold to the C&A in 1899. Throughout the years, the C&A would be affiliated with several larger railroads, and the railroad primarily operated as a bridge route. The C&A was reorganized in 1901, and until 1906 was owned by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. A portion from Rock Creek to Bridge Junction in Kansas City was sold to the Kansas City Terminal Railway in 1916. In 1931, the C&A would be reorganized as the Alton Railroad (A), a subsidiary of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The Alton was sold to the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O) in 1949, and the various subsidiaries consolidated at that time. The GM&O merged with the Illinois Central Railroad to form Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) in 1972. This line was excess for the ICG, and the route would be sold to the Chicago, Missouri & Western Railway (CM&W) in 1987. The CM&W was reorganized as the Gateway Western Railway in 1990, which became a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) in 1997. In 2023, the KCS was merged with Canadian Pacific Railway to form CPKC, the current owner of this line. Today, the line serves as a secondary mainline for CPKC.

Located along Missouri Highway 79 in Louisiana, this deck plate girder bridge is the eastern crossing of Noix Creek along the Chicago & Alton Kansas City District. The previous bridge at this location was a 140-foot iron truss span, constructed in approximately 1873. In 1896, the bridge would be reconstructed with the present bridge. The bridge consists of two 71-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto stone substructures. The stonework of the substructures was modified with concrete at a later date. The girders use a standard design for the late 1890s and early 1900s, and run at a heavy skew. The bridge was constructed for two tracks, although the northern track is now out of service. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. During the late 1890s and early 1900s, the Chicago & Alton invested significant capital to upgrade the Kansas City line, replacing bridges and revising curves and grades. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Builder and build date	Lassig Bridge & Iron Works plaque
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele

CPKC Noix Creek Bridge (East)

Louisiana, Pike County, Missouri