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| Name | Edgebrook Woods Railroad Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #A-56 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 90 Feet Total, 45 Foot Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1910, Northeast Span Replaced c. 1980 |
| Traffic Count | 80 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | A-56 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 11/19/2023 |
In 1872, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road) constructed 45 miles of new railroad, extending from the Chicago & North Western Railway mainline at Western Avenue in Chicago to the Illinois/Wisconsin State Line near Gurnee, Illinois. The Wisconsin Union Railroad started an additional 37 miles to Milwaukee in 1872, with the Milwaukee Road completing the line in 1873. The Wisconsin Union became part of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway in 1872; which became part of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway in 1874. The Milwaukee Road was beginning to acquire and construct a large number of railroad lines, particularly in Wisconsin. This line served as an arterial mainline for the railroad, connecting terminals at Milwaukee to terminals at Chicago. Due to heavy traffic, the entire line was double tracked between 1892 and 1893. In the late 19th Century, railroad traffic had become a significant
safety hazard for the City of Chicago. A solution was devised to
elevate the railroad tracks throughout the city, placing the railroads
upon embankments and constructing subways at each street. The line between Western Avenue and Irving Park Road would be elevated between 1899 and 1902. In Milwaukee, the tracks would be elevated in 1916. Further track elevation would be completed between 1927 and 1929 from Irving Park Road to Elston Avenue.
By the 20th Century, the Milwaukee Road had become a prominent railroad
in the United States, operating a network of railroad lines primarily in
the Midwest. The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble,
especially after the
costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company
declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul
and Pacific Railroad in 1928. This line continued to serve as the principal mainline of the company, extending to the Pacific Ocean. By 1985, a suitor for the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo
Line Railroad, controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the
Milwaukee Road in 1986. CP merged with
Kansas City Southern
Railway in 2023 to form CPKC. Today, CPKC operates this line as the C&M Subdivision. In addition, Metra operates the Milwaukee District North commuter service between Western Avenue and Rondout.
Located in Edgebrook Woods on the north side of Chicago, this deck plate girder bridge carries the Metra Milwaukee District North line over the North Branch Chicago River. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was first built. In 1892, the bridge would be replaced with a double track structure, using two 45-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto new stone substructures. By 1910, this bridge had become too light, and the bridge would be replaced by the current structure. The bridge consists of two 45-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto stone substructures. In addition to stone, the substructures were modified with concrete when the bridge was constructed. Typical of Milwaukee Road bridges, the structure utilizes a ballast deck, which was constructed of timber. It is currently unknown which contractor fabricated the bridge. It is believed that the Milwaukee Road constructed the substructures with company forces, as was typical for this railroad company. The two girder spans use a standard Milwaukee Road design for shallow girders, and numerous examples of this design were constructed throughout the Milwaukee Road system. 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 no significant structural deterioration noted. Metra is in the planning stages of a project to replace this structure with a modern bridge. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Date stamp |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |