New Lenox Railroad Crossing

Located in New Lenox, this large through truss bridge carries the former Wabash Railway over the former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway; now Metra Rock Island District. Little is known about the history of this bridge. It is believed the first bridge at this location was likely a timber bridge, constructed when the line was first built. In 1892, the bridge would be rebuilt with a new iron truss bridge, set onto stone abutments. It appears that the Wabash made significant upgrades to bridges along this route in 1892, with Detroit Bridge & Iron Works having fabricated a number of spans. This bridge was likely pin-connected and likely used a Pratt design. In addition, the bridge was constructed at a heavy skew, required due to the geometry of the railroad beneath. A partially broken stone indicates that this bridge was designed by W.S. Lincoln, Chief Engineer of the Wabash Railroad in the late 19th Century. The bridge was again rebuilt in 1917, with a new steel truss span reusing the old stone abutments.

The bridge consists of a 150-foot, 8-panel, riveted double intersection Warren through truss span, set onto stone and concrete abutments. The truss span uses a somewhat unusual design for this region, which was likely required due to the heavy skew of the span. This span uses a traditionally composed floor, heavily constructed members and an X-frame portal bracing. Members of the truss use a combination of tightly laced built up members and slotted built up members, typical for truss spans of this era. When the current bridge was constructed, the old stone abutments were modified with concrete. These stone abutments appear to be constructed of a yellowish limestone, typical for Wabash bridges. It is currently unknown what company fabricated the steel for the superstructure. A builder of the stone abutments is listed on a stone located on the north abutment, but this stone has been severely damaged and is not readable. An unknown contractor likely completed the concrete modifications. While truss spans were occasionally used for longer spans, this particular truss span design was not commonly used in the Midwest. Single intersection Warren through truss spans were far more common during the 20th Century. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen few changes. Some minor alterations have been made to the floor, including replacing some stringers with new beams. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The superstructure of the bridge appears to be well maintained. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design and unknown history.