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| Name | WSOR Milton-Shopiere Road Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #A-508A |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | State of Wisconsin (Operated by Wisconsin & Southern Railroad) |
| Length | 20 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track (83 Feet) |
| Height Above Ground | 11 Feet 8 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1907 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | A-508A |
| Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Bridge Number | A-508A |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/20/2022 |
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 northwest of Avalon, this concrete slab bridge carries a former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) line over Milton-Shopiere Road. The first bridge at this location was a temporary trestle, constructed when the line was first built. Initially, the temporary trestle crossed both the roadway and an adjacent creek. In the early 1900s, the Milwaukee Road filled the remaining temporary trestles along this line, replacing them with steel and concrete structures. In 1907, the present bridge was constructed. Currently, the bridge consists of a standard 20-foot concrete slab span, set onto concrete substructures and constructed at a width of 83 feet. The superstructure uses a standard design, with a heavily reinforced slab and rounded ends at the abutments. The substructure also uses a standard design, with sloped wing walls which extend from the structure at different angles. In addition, a small concrete box culvert (Bridge #A-508B) carries the railroad over an adjacent creek immediately west of this bridge, and was constructed at the same time. The bridge was constructed by employees of the Milwaukee Road Bridge & Building Department, typical practice for concrete work on the Milwaukee Road. Concrete slab spans became popular with railroads in the early 20th Century, as they were durable, cost effective and easy to construct. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen no significant alterations, and remains in regular use. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with only minor cracking and spalling noted to the structure. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Milwaukee Road Bridge Index, located at the Milwaukee Road Archives at the Milwaukee Public Library |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |