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| Name | CN E. Fork Galena River Bridge #4 Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #W-158.1 |
| Built By | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian National Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Gould Construction Company of Davenport, Iowa |
| Length | 119 Feet Total, 57 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track, Formerly 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 30 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Steel Bent |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number | W-158.1 |
| Canadian National Railway Bridge Number | 158.1 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 4/28/2018 |
In 1851, the State of Illinois authorized the construction of a series
of railroad lines, extending from Cairo, Illinois; located on the Ohio
River, to the Mississippi River at East Dubuque, Illinois and to
Chicago, Illinois. The State awarded the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) with the land necessary
to construct the new lines. Surveys began in 1851, and the first
segments were completed by 1853. The northwestern section connected Freeport, Illinois to East Dubuque, Illinois. Construction was completed on this segment in 1855, and the line would later be extended across Iowa with a bridge over the Mississippi River to Dubuque in 1868. In 1890, the Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad (CM&N), a subsidiary of the IC, constructed 102 miles of new railroad between Chicago and Freeport, Illinois; linking Chicago with the IC lines in northern Illinois. This served as an important connection for the IC, improving access to Chicago for the railroad. Due to heavy use, the section from Chicago to Broadview would be double tracked by 1895. The CM&N would be operated under lease by the IC until 1903, when it was consolidated into the IC. In the 20th Century, the IC was a respected railroad, operating an extensive railroad network through the central United States. This line served as a mainline for the IC, connecting lines in Iowa to Chicago. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad
(GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). This line, as well as the entire IC system in Iowa, was sold to the Chicago Central & Pacific Railroad (CC&P) in 1995. In 1988, the ICG
was reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1995, the CC&P was repurchased by IC and in 1998, IC was
purchased by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN operates the Freeport Subdivision between Broadview and Freeport, and the portion between Freeport and Dubuque is part of the Dubuque Subdivision.
Located immediately east of Council Hill Station, this deck plate girder bridge is the fourth crossing of the East Fork Galena River along the former Illinois Central line. The first bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle. In 1900, the bridge would be replaced by a steel girder bridge, consisting of a 60-foot and two 30-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto stone substructures. In the early 1920s, the Illinois Central began an improvement program, upgrading lighter steel bridges throughout the system. The present bridge was constructed in 1921, and consists of a 57-foot and two 29-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto steel bents and concrete substructures. The superstructure of the bridge was fabricated by American Bridge Company, while the substructures were constructed by Gould Construction Company. While the bridge was initially constructed for two tracks, the second track was removed between 1955 and 1958. It is unknown if the spans from the previous structure or from the second track were reused at other locations. Steel bents were occasionally used for piers, particularly where it was more cost effective than concrete or stone. Deck plate girder spans were among the most popular spans used by railroads, as the design was 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 the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Illinois Central Gulf Iowa Division 1973 Track Profile |
| Builder (superstructure) | Missing American Bridge Company plaque |
| Builder (substructure) | Railway Age; Volume 70, Issue 15 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |