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| Name | WSOR State Line Road Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #A-454 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Wisconsin & Southern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York (1901 Girders) Unknown (Additional Girders) |
| Length | 30 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 9 Feet 11 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1901, Strengthened 1931 |
| Original Location (Additional Girders) | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | A-454 |
| Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Bridge Number | A-454 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/6/2016; 2/19/2023 |
In 1878, the Libertyville Railway began grading on 3 miles of new railroad, extending from Rondout, Illinois to Fox Lake, Illinois. The railroad would become part of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road) the same year. The Milwaukee Road would complete the short branch in 1881. At Rondout, the line connected to the existing Milwaukee Road mainline between Chicago and Milwaukee. In 1900, the Milwaukee Road desired to extend the line to connect to Janesville, Wisconsin. In 1900, subsidiary Cook, Lake and McHenry Counties Railway (CLMC), constructed 29 miles between Libertyville and the Wisconsin State Line near Hebron. The same year, another subsidiary, the Janesville & Southeastern Railway, constructed an additional 35 miles into Janesville. The two railroads were merged into the Milwaukee Road in 1901.
This line served as a connection between the mainline at Rondout and other Milwaukee Road lines at Janesville, providing a more direct route from southwest Wisconsin into Chicago. By the 20th Century, the Milwaukee Road had become a prominent railroad
in the United States, operating a network of railroad lines primarily in
the Midwest. The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble,
especially after the
costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company
declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul
and Pacific Railroad in 1928. Throughout the 20th Century, conditions on the Milwaukee Road continued
to deteriorate. The railroad entered bankruptcy in 1977, and was forced
to liquidate unprofitable lines. The line from Janesville to Fox Lake was sold to Wisconsin & Southern Railroad in 1980. By 1985, a suitor for the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo
Line Railroad, controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the
Milwaukee Road in 1986. CP merged with
Kansas City Southern
Railway in 2023 to form CPKC. Today, CPKC continues to operate a short segment of this line between Rondout and Fox Lake; while Wisconsin & Southern operates the route from Janesville to Fox Lake. Metra offers a commuter service, the Milwaukee North District, from Rondout to Fox Lake.
Located west of Richmond, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway over State Line Road. Initially constructed in 1901 for subsidiary Janesville & Southeastern Railway, the bridge originally consisted of a standard 30-foot deck plate girder span, set onto concrete abutments. In 1931, the bridge would be strengthened by adding two additional girders to the span, and reconstructing the lateral bracing. Currently, the bridge consists of a 30-foot deck plate girder, set onto concrete abutments. The original 1901 structure was fabricated by American Bridge Company, and the concrete abutments were constructed by railroad company forces. The additional girders were reused from another bridge at an unknown location, and installed between the 1901 girders. These additional girders appear to have been fabricated in approximately 1900 by an unknown contractor. The Milwaukee Road often strengthened spans by reusing components of another bridge. This method saved costs, and provided a strong and durable finished product. Typical of a Milwaukee Road strengthening, the additional girders are spaced extremely close, and set at the center of the original span. These girders are then connected with new lateral bracing, which is set approximately halfway up the girder. Deck plate girder bridges were popular with railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The bridge received a major rehabilitation in 2011, when the abutments were encased with concrete. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unknown history.
Citations
| Build date | Milwaukee Road Archives - Industrial Department Records - located at the Milwaukee Public Library |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |