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| Name | CPKC Doxies Fork Bridge Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge #374.9 |
| Built By | Chicago & Alton Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company (Lassig Branch of Chicago) |
| Length | 229 Feet Total, 91 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 40 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1900 |
| Traffic Count | 5 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & Alton Railroad Bridge Number | 374.9 |
| Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited Bridge Number | 374.9 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/9/2016 |
In 1868, the Louisiana & Mississippi River Railroad (L&MR) began construction on a 51 mile route, extending from the Mississippi River at Louisiana, Missouri to Mexico, Missouri. Simultaneously, the St. Louis, Jacksonville & Chicago Railroad (StLJ&C) was constructing 38 miles of new railroad, extending from Roodhouse, Illinois to Louisiana. The route would be completed in 1873 with the completion of the Mississippi River bridge, and would form an extension of the Chicago & Alton Railroad (C&A) system. The C&A constructed and financed the route, in agreement to lease the newly completed railroad. In 1878, construction began on an additional 157 miles to Bridge Junction in Kansas City, Missouri. The extension was constructed by the Kansas City, St. Louis & Chicago Railroad (KCStL&C) under the same agreement as the remainder of the line. The C&A had constructed a modest network of lines throughout Illinois, and this route provided a western extension to Kansas City. The StlJ&C was sold to the C&A in 1899. 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. A portion from Rock Creek to Bridge Junction in Kansas City was sold to the Kansas City Terminal Railway in 1916. 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 GM&O merged with the Illinois Central Railroad to form Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) in 1972. 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 line serves as a secondary mainline for CPKC.
View an article discussing bridge improvements along this line in 1900
Located in a rural area between Armstrong and Glasgow, this deck plate girder bridge once carried the Chicago & Alton across East Doxies Creek, now known as Doxies Fork. The previous bridge at this location was constructed in approximately 1878, and utilized a 70-foot Pratt deck truss span, set onto stone piers and approached timber pile trestle spans. In 1900, this bridge had become too light for traffic, and would be replaced with the present bridge as part of a major construction program. The bridge currently consists of a 70-foot deck plate girder span, approached by a 46-foot and a 40-foot deck plate girder span on the east, as well as 46-foot, 25-foot and 40-foot deck plate girder spans on the west. The spans utilize a ballast deck and were fabricated by the American Bridge Company at the Lassig Branch, soon after Lassig Bridge & Iron Works was consolidated into American Bridge Company. The bridge reused the stone piers from the previous bridge, and the concrete abutments and pedestals were constructed by company forces. Steel bents were installed on the stone piers to accommodate the 70-foot span, and a steel tower supports the 25-foot span on the west approach. A steel bent supports the two spans of the east approach. It is currently unknown if the old truss span was reused elsewhere. At the same time, significant repairs were made to the pier and west abutment, including encasing the structures in concrete. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with significant cracking to the concrete components of the bridge. In addition, a timber helper bent has been placed below the easternmost span. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the common design used on a larger scale.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |