- 1855: 45 miles completed from Chicago to the Illinois State Line by the Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad
- 1855: 40 miles completed from Illinois State Line to Milwaukee, Wisconsin by the Green Bay, Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad
- 1857: GBM&C acquired by the Milwaukee and Chicago Railroad
- 1863: M&C and C&M become part of the Chicago and Milwaukee Railway
- 1881: C&M acquired by the Chicago, Milwaukee & North Western Railway
- 1882: Second track constructed from Chicago to Evanston
- 1883: CM&NW acquired by the Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1888-1895: Second track constructed from Evanston to Milwaukee
- 1898: Third track constructed from Chicago to Rose Hill and track elevated
- 1910: Third track constructed from Rose Hill to Wilmette and track elevated
- 1911: Realignment in Chicago for new station
- 1966: National Avenue (Milwaukee)-Capitol Drive segment abandoned
- 1981: Third track removed from Chicago to Wilmette
- 1981: Metra begins operations between Chicago and Kenosha as the Union Pacific North Line
- 1987: Second track removed from Kenosha to National Avenue
- 1995: Chicago & North Western purchased by Union Pacific Railroad
- 2009: Wiscona-Capitol Drive segment abandoned, acquired for trail use
- 1984-Present: Metra operates the Union Pacific North Line from Chicago to Kenosha
- 1995-Present: Union Pacific operates the Kenosha Subdivision from Chicago to National Avenue
- 2014-Present: Oak Leaf Trail runs between Milwaukee and Wiscona
12/23/21
This unique swing bridge crosses the Root River in downtown Racine.
The bridge consists of a large Double Intersection Warren Deck Truss, which rests on a round pier. This span is made as a swing span.
This main span is a center pivot span, meaning it is a continuous span. These types of spans are rare, particularly after the 1880s.
This is because they are difficult to engineer. One miscalculation could lead to an entire span falling off the pier.
Previous Bridge
The main truss has riveted connections. This span is set onto a stone pier.
In addition, the bridge is approached by deck girder spans on either side. These are also set onto stone substructures.
In terms of operation, the main swing span appears to retain the ability to move if necessary, with all the gears intact. However, the ends have been replaced with a stationary type of bridge shoe. Despite this, this is a significant boost in terms of historical integrity.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the uncommon design demonstrated by the structure. The bridge also retains a great amount of historical integrity and is in great condition.
The photo above is an overview. The author hopes to get more photos in the near future.