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| Name | WSOR Turtle Creek Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #A-496 |
| Built By | Janesville & Southeastern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | State of Wisconsin (Operated by Wisconsin & Southern Railroad) |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 196 Feet Total, 65 Foot Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1900 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | A-496 |
| Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Bridge Number | A-496 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 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 southeast of Avalon, this deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) line over Turtle Creek. The first bridge at this location was a temporary trestle, which was used to aid in constructing the permanent bridge. Throughout 1900, work progressed on constructing permanent bridges along this line, with much of the work completed by early 1901. Railroad records indicate that this bridge was completed in 1900. Currently, the bridge consists of three standard 65-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto stone substructures. The superstructure uses a standard design, with two heavy plate girders per span. The substructures also use a typical design. The abutments are constructed with stepped wing walls extending diagonally from the structure, while the piers use a rounded shape. It is believed that the substructures are founded on a concrete pad, which is supported by timber piles. American Bridge Company fabricated the superstructure, while employees of the Milwaukee Road Bridge & Building Department completed the stonework using stone quarried from an unknown location. Deck plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable 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 no significant deterioration noted. 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 |
| Builder | The Engineering Record; Volume 44 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |