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| Name | UP Pleasant Hill Road Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #673 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 29 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Steel Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1996 Using a Span Fabricated 1906 |
| Traffic Count | 5 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 673 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 60.76 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 2/27/2022 |
In 1854, the Fox River Valley Railroad (FRV) constructed 36 miles of new railroad line, extending between the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad line at Elgin, Illinois; north to Genoa, Wisconsin. In 1860, the FRV became part of the Elgin & State Line Railroad (E&SL). This railroad was one of a number of branch lines constructed in northeast Illinois during the early years of railroad development. In 1871, an additional nine miles were completed north to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin by the State Line and Union Railroad Company (SL&UR). This railroad became part of the E&SL in 1880, and the E&SL was consolidated into the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1883. The C&NW was beginning to construct and acquire a large network of railroads throughout the Midwest. In 1888, the C&NW funded a subsidiary, the Geneva & State Line Railway Company, to construct an additional 6 miles to Williams Bay, Wisconsin. The railroad would be consolidated into the C&NW in 1889, and the line would not be extended further.
This route served as a branch line for the C&NW, connecting industries in cities along the Fox River. The line also connected to an additional C&NW route at Genoa. The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the Midwest, eventually building a system over 11,000 miles long. Throughout the 20th Century, the importance of this line diminished. The C&NW would abandon the line between Lake Geneva and Williams Bay in 1966; between Lake Geneva and Ringwood, Illinois in 1982; and between Crystal Lake and Elgin in 1983. In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by Union Pacific Railroad. Today, Union Pacific continues to operate the Crystal Lake to Ringwood portion of the line as the McHenry Subdivision, which serves a couple of industries and commuter service to McHenry as an extension of the Metra Union Pacific-Northwest Line. In addition, the Fox River Trail utilizes the railroad grade between Elgin and Carpentersville; and the Prairie Trail uses and runs parallel to the grade between Carpentersville and the state line.
Located near the former station of Terra Cotta north of Crystal Lake, this steel stringer bridge carries the former Chicago & North Western Railway over Pleasant Hill Road. The first structure at this location was likely a timber pile trestle. In 1914, the bridge would be reconstructed with a 29-foot steel stringer span, set onto concrete abutments. This bridge was again reconstructed in 1996, when the present superstructure was installed on the 1914-era concrete abutments. Currently, the bridge consists of a 29-foot steel stringer span, set onto concrete abutments. This steel stringer span uses eight total beams, arranged in two sets of four. This span was fabricated in 1906 by the American Bridge Company. It is currently unknown where this span was reused from, although a diamond-shaped plaque has been painted over. Because the span was supplied by Union Pacific, the span could have come from anywhere in the western half of the United States. Upon relocation, the lateral bracing of the span was reconstructed. This type of bridge was commonly used by railroads, as it was durable and easy to construct. 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.
Citations
| Build date | Plaque |
| Builder and fabrication date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |