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| Name | CPKC Old Link Branch Bridge Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge #51.1 |
| Built By | Chicago & Alton Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited |
| Superstructure Contractor | Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan (Girders) Unknown (Stringers) |
| Length | 142 Feet Total, 36 Foot Largest Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Steel Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1884 (Girders) 1948 (Stringers) |
| Original Location (Girders) | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 3 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge Number | 51.1 |
| Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited Bridge Number | 51.1 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 6/19/2016 |
In 1857, the Tonica & Petersburg Railroad (T&P) began construction on a new railroad line, extending from Bloomington, Illinois to Jacksonville, Illinois. At the north end of the route, the line connected to an existing railroad line, owned by the St. Louis, Alton & Chicago Railroad (StLA&C). At the same time, the Jacksonville, Alton & St. Louis Railroad (JA&StL) began construction on a railroad line extending from Jacksonville to Godfrey, Illinois, where it connected with the same line as at Bloomington. At the end of 1861, the T&P had constructed 28 miles from Petersburg to Jacksonville, and the JA&StL constructed 25 miles between Jacksonville and Whitehall. The two railroads were merged into the StLA&C in 1862, and work resumed the same year. The StLA&C was merged into the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago Railroad (StLJ&C) in 1862. The remaining segments were completed in 1868 and 1866, respectively. Starting in 1868, the Chicago & Alton Railroad (C&A) leased and operated the property of the StLJ&C. The C&A was beginning to develop a moderate sized network of railroad lines throughout Illinois. This route served as a secondary line, running roughly parallel to the original mainline. It also provided opportunities for the construction of branch lines. An 8 mile cutoff between Godfrey and Wann was completed in 1881, providing a bypass around Alton. In 1899, the StLA&C was purchased by the C&A.
Throughout the years, the C&A would be affiliated with several
larger railroads, and the railroad primarily operated as a bridge
route. The C&A was reorganized in 1901, and until 1906 was owned by
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and the Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific Railway. This route continued to serve as a secondary line, feeding mainly the line to Kansas City. Between 1906 and 1907, an additional 35 miles of railroad was constructed between Iles (Springfield) and Murrayville, connecting the two parallel lines. In 1931, the C&A would be reorganized as the
Alton Railroad (A), a
subsidiary of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The Alton was sold to
the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O) in 1949, and the various
subsidiaries consolidated at that time. The section of line through Alton was abandoned in approximately 1960, except for short segments at either end. The GM&O merged with the
Illinois Central Railroad to form Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) in 1972. The section from Jacksonville to Bloomington would be abandoned in 1980. This line was excess for the ICG, and the route would be sold to the
Chicago, Missouri & Western Railway (CM&W) in 1987. The
CM&W was reorganized as the Gateway Western Railway in 1990, which
became a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern Railway (KCS) in 1997. In
2023, the KCS was merged with Canadian Pacific Railway to form CPKC, the
current owner of this line. Today, the route is used as a secondary mainline by CPKC, with the Springfield Subdivision running from Ives to Roodhouse, the Godfrey Subdivision running from Roodhouse to Godfrey and the Jacksonville Subdivision running from Murrayville to Jacksonville.
Located in a rural area south of Carrollton, this through truss bridge carries the former C&A across the former channel of Link Branch, now an overflow of Macoupin Creek. This bridge has an unusual and unclear history, but contains some of the oldest active plate girder spans in Illinois. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle. In 1889, the bridge was rebuilt with a deck plate girder bridge, set onto new stone piers. It is likely that the current deck plate girder spans were added at that time. The bridge was altered in 1922, when concrete caps were added to the piers and new concrete abutments constructed. Further alterations were made in 1948, when a new steel stringer span was added to each end. It is believed that the deck plate girder spans were "twinned", with extra girder lines added.
Currently, the bridge consists of one 36-foot and two 35-foot deck plate girder spans, approached by an 18-foot steel stringer span on either end. The piers of the bridge consist of stone masonry capped with concrete, and the abutments are constructed of concrete. The deck of the bridge consists of a ballast deck formed by timber boards, and the spans are set onto timber bearing blocks. The deck girder spans were fabricated in 1884 by Detroit Bridge & Iron Works, and were likely moved here from an unknown location in 1889. The steel stringer spans were added in 1948, and were fabricated by an unknown company. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The C&A utilized dozens of girders fabricated between 1883 and 1886, often relocating them between structures. Railroads often reused steel and iron bridge spans, as it was a cost effective method to save on bridge expenses. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the age.
Citations
| Build dates | Illinois Central Gulf Missouri Division 1979 Track Profile |
| Builder (main spans) | Detroit Bridge & Iron Works plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |