UP Fox River Bridge (Elgin)

Name	UP Fox River Bridge (Elgin) Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #333
Built By	Chicago & North Western Railway
Currently Owned By	Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor	American Bridge Company of New York
Substructure Contractor	Unknown
Length	385 Feet Total, 80 Foot Largest Span
Width	1 Track
Height Above Ground	15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Concrete
Date Built	1912
Traffic Count	2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number	333
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number	41.20
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	4/11/2023

In 1836, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU) was charted to construct a railroad line between Chicago and Galena, Illinois. After attempts to construct the railroad in the late 1830s, the company came to a halt due to lack of funds. William B. Ogden was elected director of the G&CU in 1847, and construction on the railroad began in 1848. That year, the first four miles to present day Oak Park were constructed. In 1849, the railroad reached Turner Junction (West Chicago), thirty miles west of downtown Chicago. By the end of 1850, the railroad had reached Elgin, and in 1852, the railroad would reach Rockford. In 1853, the line would be extended to Freeport, Illinois; where it connected to the Illinois Central Railroad. The G&CU realized the company would be better served by constructing a mainline west towards Iowa, and never extended the line past Freeport. In total, the line would be 121 miles in length. The G&CU was consolidated with the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1864. The C&NW was beginning to construct and acquire a large network of railroads throughout the Midwest. The West Chicago to Freeport line formed a secondary route, connecting industries to Chicago.

Through the 20th Century, this route began to decline in significance. The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the midwest, eventually building a system over 11,000 miles long. By the 1970s, industries had closed and passenger traffic disappeared. In 1981, the C&NW would abandon the segment between Rockford and Freeport. The right-of-way would be purchased by Commonwealth Edison, and portions of the line converted to the Pecatonica Prairie Path. In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad. Today, Union Pacific operates the West Chicago to Rockford segment as the Belvidere Subdivision, which mainly serves the Stellanis Plant in Belvidere. Metra service is scheduled to begin to Rockford in 2027, and utilize this line between Elgin and Rockford. West of Rockford, much of the route has become part of the Pecatonica Prairie Path.

Located immediately south of US Route 20 on the south side of Elgin, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago & North Western Railway over the Fox River. The first bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was built. In 1861, the bridge would be reconstructed by three 125-foot Bollman through truss spans, set onto stone substructures. This bridge was likely replaced by a heavier iron truss bridge in the 1870s or 1880s. By the early 20th Century, the previous bridge had become too light for traffic, and the current bridge would be constructed in 1912. Currently, the bridge consists of two 80-foot and three 75-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete piers. The girder spans were fabricated by American Bridge Company, and the concrete substructures were constructed by an unknown contractor. The girder spans use a standard design for the era, and are designed to accommodate an approximately 30-degree skew. It appears that risers were added to the bridge at some point, likely to accommodate raising the tracks for flood protection. Deck plate girder spans were among the most popular bridge designs for railroad use, as the spans were durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some deterioration noted throughout the bridge. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Builder and build date	American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele

UP Fox River Bridge (Elgin)

Elgin, Kane County, Illinois