UP Deer Creek Arch (Crete)

Name	UP Deer Creek Arch (Crete) Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge #296
Built By	Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad
Currently Owned By	Union Pacific Railroad/CSX Corporation
Superstructure Contractor	Unknown
Length	11 Feet Total
Width	3 Tracks, 2 In Use (58 Feet)
Height Above Ground	5 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Stone Arch Culvert and Concrete Arch Culvert
Substructure Design	Stone Masonry and Concrete
Date Built	c. 1890, Widened c. 1915
Traffic Count	30 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Bridge Number	296
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number	29.60
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	12/3/2022

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 between Crete and Steger, this small stone and concrete arch culvert carries the former Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad over Deer Creek. Little is known about the history of this bridge. It is believed that the first bridge here was a timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was first built. In approximately 1890, the bridge would be rebuilt with a double track stone arch culvert. In approximately 1915, the culvert would be extended to the east with a concrete arch section, giving the structure its current configuration. Currently, the structure consists of an 11-foot stone and concrete arch culvert, constructed at a total width of 58 feet. The structure uses a standard semicircular design, with wing walls extending at an angle from the structure. When railroads widened the track, it was common for existing culverts to simply be extended instead of completely rebuilt. Both portions are believed to have been constructed by unknown contractors. This type of structure was popular for railroad use, as it was durable and easy to construct. Since the initial construction, the culvert has been altered by adding a corrugated metal lining. Overall, the culvert appears to be in fair to good condition, with some spalling and cracking noted throughout the structure. The author has ranked the culvert as being locally significant, due to the common design.

UP Deer Creek Arch (Crete)

Crete, Will County, Illinois