Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | BNSF Bridge #204.15 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #204A |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 12 Feet Total |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 5 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Stone Arch and Concrete Arch |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1901, Widened and Encased 1928 |
| Traffic Count | 60 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 204A |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 204.30 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/19/2017 |
In 1873, the Chicago, Pekin & Southwestern Railway (CP&SW) began construction on 52 miles of new railroad, extending from Pekin to Pekin Junction, Illinois and from Eureka, Illinois to Ancona, Illinois. At the same time, the Chicago & Illinois River Railroad (C&IR) began construction on a 28 mile spur from Coal City, Illinois to Streator, Illinois, but work was soon ceased. The CP&SW purchased the incomplete line from Gorman to Streator, and connected it to Ancona. The CP&SW was purchased by the Chicago, St. Louis & Western Railroad in 1881, which constructed an additional 60 miles into Chicago, opening in 1884. The railroad was reorganized into the Chicago & St. Louis Railway (C&StL) in 1886. By the mid-1880s, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) was contemplating on extending their network from Kansas City, Missouri to Chicago, where the railroad could interchange with other large railroads. In 1887, the Chicago, California & Santa Fe Railway (CC&SF) began construction on 350 miles of new railroad, extending from Ancona to Sugar Creek Junction, near Kansas City. Work would be completed in 1888. The portion of the line from Ancona to Chicago would be reconstructed at this time to meet new standards.
The new line was leased to the ATSF in 1888, and fully absorbed into the ATSF in 1900. The line immediately became a core line for the ATSF, serving as part of the principal mainline (Chicago to Los Angeles) for the ATSF. During the first decade of the 20th Century, the Kansas City to Chicago line was extensively rebuilt for double track use. Within the City of Chicago, the tracks were elevated and subways constructed at street crossings. After the Amtrak takeover of passenger services in 1972, the line north of Bridgeport was abandoned in favor of other routes. Due to dwindling traffic, the route from Ancona to Pekin was abandoned in 1983 and 1984. In 1996, the ATSF was merged into Burlington Northern Railroad to form BNSF Railway, and a portion between Ash Street and Bridgeport abandoned. Today, BNSF operates this line as the Chillicothe Subdivision and the Marceline Subdivision. The line continues to be one of the heaviest used railroad routes in the Midwest.Located east of Media, this stone arch bridge carries the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway mainline over 2050E Road. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle. In 1901, the bridge would be replaced with a 12-foot stone arch bridge, constructed for two tracks. In 1928, the bridge would be extended on the north side with a 12-foot concrete arch, and the remainder of the bridge encased in concrete. The bridge rests on a combination of stone and concrete substructures, and utilizes a standard Santa Fe design for arch bridges. Stone used on Santa Fe bridges was often quarried locally, and could vary in quality. Failing stonework may be the reason the entire bridge was encased in concrete, while other widened Santa Fe arch bridges were not encased. These types of spans were popular with railroads throughout the United States, as they were durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |