Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | TP&W Sugar Creek Bridge |
| Built By | Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan (Truss) Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago (Girder) |
| Unknown | |
| Length | 200 Feet Total, 145 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Pratt Through Truss and Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | c. 1895 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Significance | Regional Significance |
| Documentation Date | 4/16/2022 |
In 1857, the Logansport, Peoria & Burlington Railroad (LP&B) completed a new railroad line, extending from Lomax, Illinois to Peoria, Illinois, via Galesburg, Illinois. The railroad completed east to Gilman the same year, and reached Logansport, Indiana in 1859. Because the funding for the LP&B was primarily funded by the Central Military Tract Railroad, which became part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q); the Peoria to Lomax segment of the line was sold to the CB&Q in 1860 and quickly became part of the principal mainline for that railroad. The name of the LP&B was changed to the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railroad in 1864, and the railroad sought a renewed connection to the Mississippi River. The following year, the TP&W purchased the Mississippi & Wabash Railroad in 1865, which had previously completed a branch line from Warsaw, Illinois to Carthage, Illinois. Construction began on a new line, extending from Elvaston to Peoria. The new route opened to traffic in 1869. At the same time, the Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge Company began construction of a combined railroad and roadway bridge across the Mississippi River, which would be completed in 1871. A branch line from LaHarpe, Illinois to Lomax would be constructed the same year. By 1880, the TP&W would be reorganized as the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway (TP&W); and leased by the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway.
The TP&W provided a crucial bridge connection between the eastern and western railroads, bypassing Chicago and other congested interchange points. The Wabash lease of the railroad ended in 1887, and the railroad remained independent until 1893. In 1893, the railroad was jointly leased by the Pennsylvania Railroad and the St. Louis, Keokuk & North Western Railway (CB&Q), although the CB&Q later relinquished their ownership. In 1960, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) gained part ownership of the line, and gained full ownership in 1968 when the Pennsylvania Railroad was merged into Penn Central. Portions of the line between Keokuk and LaHarpe were sold to the Keokuk Junction Railway (KJRY) in 1985. The ATSF sold the line to investors in 1989, which returned the Topeldo, Peoria & Western Railway name to the line. The KJRY purchased the tracks from LaHarpe to Lomax in 1990, and the line from Peoria to LaHarpe in 2005. Today, TP&W continues to operate the line between Peoria and Logansport, while the KJRY operates the line west of Peoria.
Located on the west side of Watseka, this Pratt through truss bridge carries the former Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway over Sugar Creek. The first bridge at this location was likely a wooden truss or trestle bridge. Starting in the 1890s, the TP&W undertook an extensive improvement program along their line, replacing wooden bridges with steel and stone structures. This bridge was built in approximately 1895, and consists of a 145-foot, 6-panel, pin-connected Pratt through truss span, approached by a 55-foot deck plate girder span. The entire bridge is set onto stone substructures. The truss span of the bridge was fabricated by the Detroit Bridge & Iron Works and the approach span was fabricated by the Lassig Bridge & Iron Works. Both firms constructed a number of steel spans for the TP&W. It is believed that the substructures of the bridge were constructed by a contractor. The truss span utilizes a design standardized by the TP&W, including solid vertical members members, a lattice portal and a light floor. An article, which appeared in the October 7th, 1893 edition Engineering Record describes this standard truss span. Pratt truss spans were arguably the most popular truss design in the late 19th Century, as the design was simple, economical and provided sufficient loading capacity. Since the initial construction of the bridge, the bridge has seen a number of repairs, including repairs to the connections, portal and lower chords. These repairs largely consist of strengthening with additional steel and high strength bolts. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, but is among the lighter railroad truss spans in service along the TP&W. An identical truss span crosses the East Branch of Copperas Creek in Fulton County, Illinois. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the truss design and older age.
Citations
| Builder (main span) | Missing Detroit Bridge & Iron Works plaque |
| Builder (girder span) | Missing Lassig Bridge & Iron Works plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |