In Freeport, the line connected to the existing Illinois Central line between Cairo and Iowa. Also in Freeport, the CM&N was building north towards Madison, Wisconsin.
The line was completed by 1890, and became an instant mainline for the Illinois Central. It shortened milage between Iowa and Chicago by nearly 200 miles.
The line also was the fourth into Rockford, which became an important stop for the railroad. In addition, the line bypassed Elgin, but still met with the critical lines heading into Elgin.
The line was double tracked in 1895 between Chicago and Broadview.
The railroad was operated by the Illinois Central, but became a part of it entirely in 1903.
The railroad has seen virtually no changes since it opened. The railroad continues to follow I-55 into Chicago, where it meets up on the south side of Chicago with the mainline towards Centralia.
In 1972, the Illinois Central was renamed the Illinois Central Gulf, after a merger with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad.
By 1988, the line was spun off to a subsidiary named Chicago, Central & Pacific. In 1998, the Illinois Central and subsidiaries were purchased by Canadian National Railway, who currently operates the railroad.
The line is operated as the Freeport Subdivision, which sees a fair amount of traffic.
06/26/21
Located immediately east of the S. Kedzie Avenue bridge, this large swing bridge crosses the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal.
Built during 1899-1900, this bridge and the canal are a feat of engineering. The bridge features a massive swing bridge, constructed out of a pair of 7-panel pin connected Through Trusses. These trusses are joined with a large tower, set onto a swing pier. The substructures on this bridge are constructed of stone masonry, although the center pier and east abutment have since been encased with concrete.
In addition, the bridge was built for two tracks. Constructed by the Toledo Bridge Company, this is one of the only known examples of railroad structures completed by them. McArthur Brothers and Winston & Company completed the substructure work. The portals are a simple x-frame design and the endposts are laced. Currently, the bridge has been bolted into a locked position.
Initially, the bridge was constructed at a cost of about $110,600 and weighed 2,511,140 pounds.
The canal below is a massive feat of engineering. A canal was built to divert Lake Michigan, and to supply a means of sewage disposal. It was completed by 1900, and forever altered waterways in the Chicago area.
This structure is similar to many others along the canal. Almost all of the original swing bridge structures remain today.
Overall, the condition of the bridge is unknown, as the author could not access the bridge up close. However, the bridge appears to be sturdy.
The author has ranked the bridge as being highly significant, due to the swing bridge design and older age. This bridge is among the most significant in Chicago.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | Eight Track Bridge |
| Downstream | Abandoned Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal Bridge |