CN Kaskaskia River Bridge (Bondville)

Name	CN Kaskaskia River Bridge (Bondville) Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #N-6.2
Built By	Illinois Central Railroad
Currently Owned By	Canadian National Railway
Superstructure Contractor	American Bridge Company of New York
Length	60 Feet Total, 34 Foot Main Span
Width	1 Track
Height Above Ground	15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Timber Pile
Date Built	1929 Using a Span Fabricated 1906
Original Location	Unknown
Traffic Count	0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Closed to Traffic)
Current Status	Closed to Traffic
Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number	N-6.2
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	11/6/2022

In 1869, the Monticello Railroad began construction on a new railroad line, extending east from Champaign. By 1872, the line would reach White Heath, Illinois. In 1873, the railroad would be merged into the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Railway (IB&W), which completed the 102-mile line to Havana, Illinois and an additional 31 miles from White Heath to Decatur. After the IB&W filed for bankruptcy in 1874, and the lines were auctioned to the Champaign, Havana & Western Railway (CH&W) in 1879. The line was soon leased to the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway, and became part of the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) in 1886, when the IC leased the CH&W. The IC had constructed and acquired a large railroad network throughout the central United States, becoming a respected railroad. This line primarily served as a feeder line, connecting two IC mainlines. The line was primarily operated out of Clinton, where the IC had a large terminal. In addition, the IC operated large terminals at Champaign and Decatur, which this railroad connected to. The railroad was formally purchased by the IC in 1902, as the IC consolidated a number of lines.

During the 20th Century, this route primarily served as a branch line and a connection between the mainline at Clinton and the mainline at Champaign. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). The line would be abandoned between Cisco and Decatur in 1977, and the line acquired by a grain elevator. Further segments would be abandoned between Havana and New Holland in 1981, Clinton to New Holland in 1982, Seymour to White Heath in 1984 and White Heath to Clinton and Cisco in 1985. The segment from Monticello to White Heath would be sold to the Monticello Railway Museum in 1987. Portions of the line from Seymour to Clinton were sold to preservationist David Monk, who created Heartland Pathways, an unimproved trail on the corridor. The Decatur Terminal Railway would acquire the Decatur to Cisco branch in 1993, and would sell the line to Decatur Central Railroad (DCC) in 2016. Today, DCC operates the segment from Decatur to Cisco, and the Monticello Railway Museum operates the segment from Monticello to White Heath. Portions of the line have become a trail, with the corridor owned by Heartland Pathways planned to be further developed into a trail.

Located east of Bondville along Illinois Route 10, this deck plate girder bridge carries an out of service Canadian National Railway line over the Kaskaskia River. At this location, the Kaskaskia River is little more than a ditch. The first bridge here was a timber pile trestle, a typical design for small ditches and waterways along branch lines. In 1929, the bridge was reconstructed, and a 34-foot deck plate girder span was installed, and new timber piers and approaches constructed. The girder was originally fabricated in 1906 by the American Bridge Company, and was originally used at an unknown location. The span uses design features typical for the era, and uses a longitudinal bracket along the outside of the girders. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Railroads often reused steel and iron spans, as it provided a cost effective way to upgrade bridges along branch lines. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no major deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Builder and fabrication date	American Bridge Company plaque
Erection date	Illinois Central Gulf Illinois Division 1978 Track Profile
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele

CN Kaskaskia River Bridge (Bondville)

Bondville, Champaign County, Illinois