UP Trim Creek Bridge (Grant Park)

Grant Park, Kankakee County, Illinois

Default pic
Looking north
Northeast wing wall
Looking north
South arch
Middle arch
North abutment
Looking north
South pier
North pier
Looking south
South arch
Southeast wing wall
View of bridge soon after completion

Click the photo to view the full-size version

Default Pic
Looking north
Northeast wing wall
Looking north
South arch
Middle arch
North abutment
Looking north
South pier
North pier
Looking south
South arch
Southeast wing wall
View of bridge soon after completion
1/14
Date Taken:
Author:
Caption:
Name UP Trim Creek Bridge (Grant Park)
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge #475
Built By Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad/CSX Corporation
Superstructure Contractor Unknown
Length 60 Feet Total, 20 Foot Spans
Width 3 Tracks, 2 In Use
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Concrete Arch
Substructure Design Concrete
Date Built 1905, Rehabilitated c. 1990
Traffic Count 30 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge Number 475
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number 47.50
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 4/16/2022

In 1872, the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad constructed 107 miles of new railroad, extending from the Chicago suburb of Dolton, Illinois to Danville, Illinois.  The railroad line roughtly paralleled the Illinois/Indiana border.  The CD&V would be consolidated into the Chicago and Nashville Railroad in 1877, which would be consolidated into the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad (CE&I) the same year.  The CE&I provided a connection to industries and coal in southern Illinois and Indiana, and became a strong connecting railroad.  By 1888, traffic had reached levels which required a second track to be constructed.  The entire route between Dolton and Woodland Junction would be double tracked by 1895.  In 1902, the St. Louis-San Fracisco Railway (Frisco) purchased a controlling stake in the CE&I, and funded the Eastern Illinois and St. Louis Railroad Company (EI&StL).  The EI&StL constructed an 82-mile cutoff between Woodland Junction and another CE&I line at Villa Grove, Illinois, which would be completed in 1904.  By 1913, the Frisco faced financial trouble, and the CE&I was again independent.  The CE&I entered bankruptcy in 1933, exiting bankruptcy in 1940.

In 1961, the Missouri Pacific Railroad (MP) began purchasing stock in the railroad, before merging with the CE&I in 1967.  As a stipulation of the merger, the Woodland Junction to Evansville line would be sold to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N).  The MP and L&N began joint operations on the double tracked segment between Dolton and Woodland Junction.  The MP was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1982.  The L&N was absorbed by the Seaboard Coast Line the same year, becoming part of the Seaboard System Railroad.  The Seaboard merged with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad/Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to form CSX Transportation in 1986.  Today, CSX and UP jointly operate the line between Dolton and Woodland Junction.  UP operates the line between Woodland Junction and Villa Grove, while CSX operates the line between Woodland Junction and Danville.  The line is known to UP as the Villa Grove Subdivision, and to CSX as the Woodland Subdivision.

Located south of Grant Park, this concrete arch bridge carries the former Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad over Trim Creek. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle. In 1892, the line would be double tracked, and a new girder bridge constructed at this location. In 1905, the line would again be reconstructed, a third track added, and a new concrete arch bridge would be constructed at this location. The bridge originally consisted of three 20-foot shallow concrete arch spans, set onto concrete substructures. Shallow spans such as this were used where longer span lengths were required, but vertical clearance did not permit a traditional design. Concrete arch bridges became popular with railroads in the early 20th Century, as they were durable and easy to construct. The bridge remained largely unchanged until approximately 1990, when the bridge would receive a significant rehabilitation. The arches would be lined with corrugated metal, and the entire bridge encased in concrete. In addition, a new drainage system would be added to the structure. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the heavy modifications to the structure.

Citations

Build date Railroad Gazette; Volume 40, Issue 11
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele