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| Name | UP US-136 Bridge Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge #C1110 |
| Built By | Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 97 Feet Total, 45 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | c. 1910 |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge Number | C1110 |
| Grand Trunk Western Railroad Bridge Number | 111.00 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 11/13/2022 |
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 northeast of Penfield, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad over US Route 136. Little is known about the history of this bridge. It is believed that the bridge was constructed in approximately 1910, possibly using an older deck plate girder span from another location. Currently, the bridge consists of a 45-foot deck plate girder span, set onto timber pile piers and approached by two timber pile trestle spans on either end. The deck plate girder span was fabricated by an unknown contractor, and uses a standard design for the era. The trestle spans use a ballast deck design, which is constructed of numerous parallel stringers. Deck plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |