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| Name | WSOR US-12 Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #A-444 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Wisconsin & Southern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 45 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1900 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | A-444 |
| Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Bridge Number | A-444 |
| 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 south of Richmond, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway over US Route 12. Constructed in 1900 for subsidiary Janesville & Southeastern Railway, the bridge consists of a 45-foot deck plate girder span, set onto large concrete abutments. The girder uses a standard Milwaukee Road design, with heavy girders, relatively light interior bracing and a ballast deck. The bridge is set at a slight skew, and the ballast deck is constructed of timber planks. American Bridge Company fabricated the superstructure of the bridge, and railroad company forces constructed the concrete abutments. This type of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen very few alterations, and a faded Milwaukee Road herald is still visible on the structure. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with some spalling noted on the bridge. Despite this, the structure has held up extremely well for its age, especially considering the lack of a major rehabilitation. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Date stamp |
| Builder | Missing American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |