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| Name | Kankakee Railroad Bridge Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #56.3 |
| Built By | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian National Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Gould Construction Company of Davenport, Iowa Walsh Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois |
| Design Engineer | F.L. Thompson |
| Length | 626 Feet Total, 90 Foot Largest Spans |
| Width | 4 Tracks, 1 in Use |
| Height Above Ground | 30 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Open Spandrel Concrete Arch |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1919 |
| Traffic Count | 40 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number | 56.3 |
| Canadian National Railway Bridge Number | 56.3 |
| Significance | High Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/12/2022 |
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 with the land necessary to construct the new lines. In 1852, construction in Chicago, and a short segment was completed to Kensington. The following year, the line would be completed from Kensington to Kankakee, followed by Kankakee to Champaign in 1854. Between 1855 and 1856, the line would be extended to Centralia, where it met the line to East Dubuque. From here, the line would continue south, extending to Cairo. The line was an immediate success, and provided a critical transportation link for the State of Illinois. In addition to connecting Chicago with southern Illinois, the line also connected through several moderate sized towns throughout Central Illinois. Soon after opening, the railroad needed to expand. Prior to 1870, a second track had been constructed from Kensington to Chicago, and a third track was added in 1880. Between 1881 and 1883, the double track would be extended to Kankakee, followed by the section to Gilman in 1890. In 1893, the line was widened to eight tracks between Chicago and 67th Street, as well as to six tracks prior to 1908. Between 1901 and 1902, the railroad double tracked the entire line between Gilman and Centralia. Four tracks were constructed to Matteson in 1911, followed by to Monee in 1923. Between 1920 and 1923, a third track was constructed to Otto. To improve safety, the tracks would be elevated between Hyde Park in Chicago and Matteson between 1893 and 1923.
By the 20th Century, the IC was a respected railroad, operating an extensive railroad network through the central United States. This line continued to serve as the principal mainline for the IC.
Portions of the second main track were removed in the later part of the 20th Century. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad
(GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). In 1988, the ICG was
reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1998, IC was purchased by the Canadian National Railway (CN), the current owner of the line. Today, CN continues to operate the Chicago Subdivision between Chicago and Champaign, as well as the Champaign Subdivision between Champaign and Centralia. The line continues to serve as an important mainline for the CN. In addition, Metra offers a commuter service, the Electric District, between Chicago and Matteson.
View an article discussing the construction of this bridge
Located in Kankakee, this iconic concrete arch bridge was constructed to carry the Illinois Central Railroad over the Kankakee River. The first bridge at this location was a timber bridge, constructed in 1853. In the 1860s, the original wood bridge would be replaced by a n iron truss bridge. This bridge consisted of three 170-foot Bollman deck truss spans, and a 60-foot lattice deck truss on either end. This bridge was used until 1884, when it was replaced by a new steel bridge. The 1884 bridge consisted of three 170-foot, 9-panel, pin-connected Pratt through truss spans, reusing the original stone substructures. The approach spans would be replaced by lightweight riveted pony truss spans. This bridge was constructed by the Union Bridge Company, and used several features typical of Union Bridge Company spans, including a crested lattice portal. By the early 20th Century, the bridge was the only remaining single track location between Chicago and Cairo, and created a significant bottleneck. Plans to replace the bridge began in 1913, and contracts were let in 1917. Gould Construction Company and Walsh Construction Company would be awarded the contract for the construction of the bridge.
The chosen design consisted of five 90-foot and one 60-foot open spandrel concrete arch spans, set onto new concrete substructures. The spandrel walls were designed so that they could be easily modified if the railroad ever needed to be raised. The deck of the bridge would consist of precast deck panels, set onto the spandrel walls. Construction of the bridge began in 1917. Keeping the existing bridge open to traffic was critical. Temporary falsework would be set up west of the existing bridge, and two tracks of the new bridge constructed. Once the new bridge was completed, the tracks would be shifted, and the old bridge demolished. The falsework was then reused to construct an additional two tracks where the previous truss bridge stood. It is unknown if the trusses from the old bridge were reused. Railroads often reused steel and iron spans, as it provided a cost effective way to upgrade bridges.
Open spandrel concrete arches are somewhat unusual in the Midwest, particularly for railroad use. These types of bridges required more rigorous design, and were often harder to construct. However, open spandrel arches provided an aesthetically pleasing structure. The arches of the bridge are circular, and reinforced segmentally. This design allowed for more flexibility in construction, and was preferred by the Illinois Central based on previous experience with concrete arch bridges. Typical of concrete bridges from this era, the bridge is heavily reinforced with steel bars throughout the structure. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, and has seen few alterations since the initial construction. The author has ranked this bridge as being highly significant, as it is an outstanding example of a large scale open spandrel concrete arch constructed for railroad use in Illinois.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Railway Age; Volume 68, Issue 25 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |