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| Name | CN E. Fork Galena River Bridge #6 Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #W-159.7 |
| Built By | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian National Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 108 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1923 |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number | W-159.7 |
| Canadian National Railway Bridge Number | 159.7 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/9/2013 |
In 1851, the State of Illinois authorized the construction of a series
of railroad lines, extending from Cairo, Illinois; located on the Ohio
River, to the Mississippi River at East Dubuque, Illinois and to
Chicago, Illinois. The State awarded the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) with the land necessary
to construct the new lines. Surveys began in 1851, and the first
segments were completed by 1853. The northwestern section connected Freeport, Illinois to East Dubuque, Illinois. Construction was completed on this segment in 1855, and the line would later be extended across Iowa with a bridge over the Mississippi River to Dubuque in 1868. In 1890, the Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad (CM&N), a subsidiary of the IC, constructed 102 miles of new railroad between Chicago and Freeport, Illinois; linking Chicago with the IC lines in northern Illinois. This served as an important connection for the IC, improving access to Chicago for the railroad. Due to heavy use, the section from Chicago to Broadview would be double tracked by 1895. The CM&N would be operated under lease by the IC until 1903, when it was consolidated into the IC. In the 20th Century, the IC was a respected railroad, operating an extensive railroad network through the central United States. This line served as a mainline for the IC, connecting lines in Iowa to Chicago. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad
(GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). This line, as well as the entire IC system in Iowa, was sold to the Chicago Central & Pacific Railroad (CC&P) in 1995. In 1988, the ICG
was reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1995, the CC&P was repurchased by IC and in 1998, IC was
purchased by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN operates the Freeport Subdivision between Broadview and Freeport, and the portion between Freeport and Dubuque is part of the Dubuque Subdivision.
Located west of Council Hill Station, this through plate girder bridge is the sixth crossing of the East Fork Galena River along the former Illinois Central line. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle. In the late 1890s, the bridge would be replaced by a steel bridge of an unknown design, possibly either a truss or a multiple span girder structure. In the early 1920s, the Illinois Central began an improvement program, upgrading lighter steel bridges throughout the system. The present bridge was constructed in 1923, and consists of a 108-foot through plate girder span, set onto stone and concrete substructures. The west abutment consists of stone, which was reused from the previous bridge and partially encased in concrete at the time of construction. The superstructure of the bridge was fabricated by American Bridge Company, while the substructures were constructed by an unknown contractor. The bridge utilizes a typical Illinois Central design, a traditionally composed floor and square ends of the girders. This particular span is rather long for a single span bridge, and was likely designed this way to cross Kelly Road. It is unknown if the span(s) from the previous structure were reused at other locations. Through plate girder spans were among the most popular spans used by railroads, as the design 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 the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |