BNSF Indian Creek Bridge (Earlville)

Earlville, LaSalle County, Illinois

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Name	BNSF Indian Creek Bridge (Earlville) Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Bridge #71.82
Built By	Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Currently Owned By	BNSF Railway
Superstructure Contractor	Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Shops - West Burlington, Iowa (South Track) American Bridge Company of New York (North Track)
Length	67 Feet Total
Width	2 Tracks
Height Above Ground	20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Stone Masonry and Concrete
Date Fabricated	1886 (South Track) 1930 (North Track)
Date Erected	1941
Traffic Count	20 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Bridge Number	71.82
BNSF Railway Bridge Number	71.82
Significance	Moderate Significance
Documentation Date	2/20/2022

In 1852 and 1853, the Aurora Branch Railroad of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad would construct a 46 miles of new railroad extending from Aurora, Illinois to Mendota, Illinois. The railroad would be reorganized as the Chicago and Aurora Railroad Company in 1852, and again as the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) in 1855. Between 1852 and 1854, the Central Military Tract Railroad Company (CMT) would construct 79 miles from Mendota to Galesburg, Illinois. The CMT would be absorbed into the CB&Q the following year. This route quickly became the principal mainline of the CB&Q, providing a connection to the Mississippi River at Quincy. Both Aurora and Galesburg would quickly become prominent railroad cities, with extensive facilities serving the CB&Q. Because of the heavy traffic served by the line, the railroad would be double tracked beginning in the 1860s. In 1868, a second track was added between Aurora and Bristol, and between Earlville and Mendota. Between Bristol and Earlville, the line would be double tracked in 1872. In 1877, the line was double tracked from Malden to Princeton and near Galeesburg; from Arlington to Malden would be double tracked in 1878; and the segments between Mendota and Arlington and Buda and Wyanet would be double tracked in 1880. The segment between Buda and Galesburg would be double tracked in 1886, and the segment between Princeton and Wyanet was double tracked in 1899. Throughout the 20th Century, the line continued to serve as the principal mainline of the CB&Q. In 1970, the CB&Q was merged with the Northern Pacific Railway and the Great Northern Railway to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). In 1996, BN merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway. BNSF currently operates the line as the Mendota Subdivision, and it remains a critical line within the BNSF system.

Located on the east side of Earlville, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad over Indian Creek. The first bridge at this location likely consisted of a timber trestle. In the 1860s, the bridge was likely upgraded with a single track iron truss bridge. In 1886, the bridge would be replaced with a double track 67-foot deck plate girder span, set onto new stone abutments. The girder spans were fabricated at the CB&Qs shops at West Burlington, Iowa. The bridge remained largely unchanged until 1941, when the bridge was modified. The northern track of the bridge was removed, and the girders placed into the south track. A new deck plate girder span was then installed for the north track. This span was reportedly fabricated in 1930 by American Bridge Company, and was likely used as an extra span prior to being installed here. During the 1941 reconstruction, concrete repairs were made throughout the bridge, and a new precast concrete deck installed on the bridge, giving the bridge its current configuration.

While most railroads ordered steel bridge spans from bridge manufacturers, the CB&Q constructed a number of girders and trusses at their own shops. Some railroads fabricated their own bridge spans, although this required heavy machinery and experienced laborers. The CB&Q is known to have fabricated spans at the Aurora and West Burlington shops, and it is unknown how many spans were fabricated by the railroad. The method of strengthening and rebuilding the bridge was commonly used by railroads, as it provided a cost effective way to reconstruct a bridge while requiring half the new material. The 1886 build date makes the south track among the oldest steel spans remaining in service in Illinois. Deck plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as these spans were durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the age and builder of the south track.

Citations

Builders and build dates	CB&Q - Allen Moore collection - BRHS Archives
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele