BNSF English Creek Bridge (East)

Located west of Harvey, this through plate girder bridge is the eastern of three bridges carrying a former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad secondary line over English Creek. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle bridge, constructed when the line was first built. In 1915, the bridge was replaced by a secondhand 96-foot Pratt through truss span, set onto concrete piers and approached by timber pile trestle spans. It is unclear where this span was reused from, and which contractor fabricated it. In 1939, the bridge was again rebuilt with a secondhand through plate girder span, a secondhand steel stringer span and timber pile trestle approaches, set onto an additional new concrete pier. It is unclear if the truss span was further reused, or if it was scrapped. Recent alterations include the replacement of the west trestle approach in 2001, and the replacement of the east trestle approach and beam span in 2020, giving the bridge its present configuration. Prior to the reconstruction of the east approach, the bridge consisted of a 76-foot through plate girder span, approached by a 21-foot steel stringer span and three timber pile trestle spans on the east end and four timber pile trestle spans on the west end. Concrete piers were used to support the metal spans, while the remainder of the bridge was set onto timber pile substructures.

The through plate girder span was originally fabricated in 1892 for use at an unknown location. This span consists of two heavy plate girders, a standard floor system and square girder ends. The stringer span was originally fabricated in approximately 1900 for use at an unknown location, and consisted of six shallow beams, arranged into two sets of three. It is unclear if this span was originally part of one bridge, or was secondhand scrap material reused as a bridge span. The piers use an unusual design, consisting of two large concrete columns, connected by a concrete beam at the top. Keystone Bridge Company fabricated the main span, while an unknown contractor fabricated the approach spans. It is unclear if the concrete piers were constructed by railroad company forces or by unknown contractors, and it is believed the timber components were constructed by railroad company forces. Railroads often reused steel and iron spans, as it provided a cost effective way to upgrade bridges without requiring large amounts of new material. Through plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Steel stringer spans were commonly used for approach and "jump" spans, although it is unusual for a jump span to be set onto two concrete piers. It is likely that constructing a new pier and installing secondhand spans was cheaper than ordering a new 96-foot span. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen a number of alterations, including the replacement of both approaches with concrete modular girder spans. As part of the work, the eastern pier was demolished and replaced with a modern bent. These spans use a standard design, with steel pile substructures and a ballast deck. Today, the through plate girder span carries an active BNSF Railway/Norfolk Southern Railroad line, while the remainder has been replaced by modern spans. Overall, the bridge appeared to be in fair condition at the time of replacement, although significant deterioration was noted to the eastern pier. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unclear history.