Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | NS Bridge #354.23 Wabash Railroad Bridge #80A |
| Built By | Wabash Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Norfolk Southern Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | William P. Carmichael Company of St. Louis, Missouri |
| Length | 30 Feet Total |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1912 |
| Traffic Count | 20 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Wabash Railroad Bridge Number | 80A |
| Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge Number | 354.23 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 11/6/2022 |
During the 1830s, the State of Illinois desired a railroad to serve population centers located in southern Illinois. In 1837, the Improvements Act was passed to fund the construction of four railroads, including one between Danville and Quincy. Between 1838 and 1842, the Northern Cross Railroad, operated by the State of Illinois, partially completed a railroad between Meredosia, Illinois and Danville, Illinois. In 1847, the 61 miles of railroad between Meredosia and Springfield would be sold to the Sangamon & Morgan Railroad (S&M). The S&M changed its name to the Great Western Railroad (GWR), which completed an additional 120 miles of new railroad to the Wabash River at Attica, Indiana in 1853; reusing some of the old grade constructed by the Northern Cross Railroad.
Between 1853 and 1854, the Toledo and Illinois Railroad (T&I) constructed 75 miles of new railroad, extending from Toledo, Ohio to the Indiana/Ohio State Line near Woodburn, Indiana. Between 1855 and 1856, the Lake Erie, Wabash and St. Louis Railroad (LEW&StL) constructed an additional 167 miles of new railroad across Indiana, extending from Attica, through Lafayette, Fort Wayne and Peru, to the Ohio State Line near Woodburn, Indiana. Both the LEW&StL and the T&I were operated by the GWR until 1856, when the two railroads were sold to the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railroad (TW&W). The TW&W went bankrupt in 1858, and sold the line through Illinois and Indiana to the Wabash Western Railway; and the line in Ohio to the Toledo & Wabash Railroad. The two railroads were promptly combined into the Toledo and Wabash Railway (T&W), and the T&W and GRW were consolidated in 1865 to form the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway, which was merged into the Wabash Railway in 1876. The Wabash was merged into the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway (WStL&P) in 1886. This railroad entered bankruptcy in 1886, and was partitioned and sold in 1889. The line between Toledo and Decatur was partitioned into three segments, which promptly combined to form the Wabash Railroad. The Wabash Railroad was reorganized as the Wabash Railway in 1915.
The Wabash would become a respected railroad network in the Midwest, connecting Detroit with Kansas City. This line served as a part of the principal mainline between the two cities. Because of the heavy use, portions of the line would be double tracked. The line between Tolono and Decatur would be double tracked between 1901 and 1908, as would other segments in Indiana. The segment near Danville would be double tracked in 1929. The railroad would again be reorganized as the Wabash Railroad in 1941,
and would be controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1964, the
railroad was leased to the Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W), and
would be entirely acquired in 1970. In 1982, the N&W would merge
with the Southern Railway to form Norfolk Southern Railway. Today, Norfolk Southern operates the Lafayette District between Peru, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois.
Located on the east side of Bement, this small through plate girder bridge carries the former Wabash Railroad across an unnamed creek. The first bridge at this location is believed to have been a timber trestle bridge. During the early 20th Century, the Wabash made significant upgrades to this line, including double tracking the entirety of the line and replacing outdated bridges with steel and concrete structure. The segment between Bement and Tolono was double tracked during 1912, when this bridge was constructed. The bridge consists of a double track 30-foot through plate girder span, set onto concrete substructures. The girder utilizes a standard Wabash design, with shallow girders, square girder edges and a ballast floor consisting of parallel floorbeams encased in concrete. American Bridge Company fabricated the superstructure, while the William P. Carmichael Company constructed the concrete abutments. These two companies had contracts for a majority of the Wabash bridge projects during the early 20th Century. 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 to good condition, and appears well maintained. Little deterioration was noted throughout the bridge, and the superstructure of the bridge has an intact coat of paint. Minor repairs have been made to the southeast corner of the structure. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date and builder (substructure) | Excavating Engineer; Volume 9 |
| Builder (superstructure) | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |