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| Name | CPKC Des Plaines River Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #Z-20 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 272 Feet Total, 68 Foot Spans |
| Width | 3 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry, Concrete and Steel Pile |
| Date Built | 1930, Partially Rebuilt 2007 |
| Traffic Count | 100 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | Z-20 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 11/18/2023 |
In 1872, the Chicago and Pacific Railroad was charted to construct a new 88-mile railroad line extending from Chicago, Illinois to Byron, Illinois. Construction began on the line in 1873, and the line was completed to Elgin in 1874, followed by to Byron in 1876. In Chicago, the railroad crossed the Chicago River three times, crossed Goose Island and turned west along Bloomingdale Avenue. In 1880, the railroad came under lease of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, commonly known as the Milwaukee Road. The Milwaukee Road continued construction, reaching Kittredge, Illinois in 1882. At Kittredge, this line connected to a line that had been completed to Savanna, Illinois by the Northern Illinois Railroad in 1862. This line became a principal mainline for the Milwaukee Road, later extending across Iowa to reach Omaha. Because of the importance of this line, the portion of the line west of Bloomingdale Avenue in Chicago to Bensenville was double tracked in 1885. In 1892, construction on a second track began between Bensenville and Genoa, which would be completed in 1897. By 1899, the line was double tracked to Savanna. During the late 19th Century, the numerous grade crossings throughout Chicago became a hazard for the general public, and the City of Chicago investigated solutions. The City issued ordinances to railroads to elevate their tracks. This line was elevated between Elston Avenue and Ashland Avenue in 1899, followed by the section from Lawndale Avenue to Pulaski Road in 1900 and from Pulaski Road to Kostner Avenue by 1902. The Bloomingdale Line from Ashland Avenue to Lawndale Avenue would be elevated between 1913 and 1915.
By the 20th Century, the Milwaukee Road had become a prominent railroad in the United States, operating a network of railroad lines primarily in the Midwest. The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1928. This line continued to serve as a critical mainline for the railroad during the 20th Century, as it provided a connection between Chicago and the mainlines to Omaha and Kansas City. Significant upgrades were made during the 1930s and 1940s, including replacing bridges and revising curves. During the 1970s, conditions of the line gradually deteriorated, and much of the second track was removed in the late 1970s.
Portions of the line in Chicago were removed in the late 1970s. By 1985, a suitor for the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo
Line Railroad, controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the
Milwaukee Road in 1986. In 1997, CP would sell the line
segment to I&M Rail Link, which was purchased by the Dakota,
Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) subsidiary Iowa, Chicago
& Eastern Railroad (IC&E). Portions of the Bloomingdale Line between Pacific Junction and the Kennedy Expressway were abandoned in 2001. Chicago Transfer Railway (CTR) began operations around Goose Island in 2007, using former Milwaukee Road trackage. The DM&E/IC&E were purchased
by Canadian Pacific in 2008. The Bloomingdale/606 Trail was constructed on the right-of-way between Ashland Avenue and Lawndale Avenue in 2014. The CTR trackage was abandoned in 2018. CP merged with Kansas City Southern
Railway in 2023 to form CPKC. Today, CPKC operates the Elgin Subdivision between Pacific Junction and Randall Road in Elgin; and the Chicago Subdivision between Elgin and Savanna. In addition, Metra operates commuter service as the Milwaukee West line over the Elgin Subdivision.
Located west of the River Grove station, this deck girder bridge carries the Milwaukee District West over the Des Plaines River. The first bridge at this location likely was timber pile trestle, typical of early bridges along railroads in the Midwest. In 1892, the Milwaukee Road double tracked this line, and constructed a new bridge at this location. This bridge consisted of four 68-foot through plate girder spans, set onto new stone piers. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Milwaukee Road again upgraded this route, and replaced the bridge with a new deck girder bridge carrying four tracks in 1930. American Bridge Company would be contracted to fabricate the new spans.
Upon the 1930 reconstruction, the north tracks of the bridge consisted of four 68-foot deck plate girder spans, reusing the stone substructures from the previous bridge. The southern two tracks would use two 68-foot deck plate girder spans on the east end of the bridge, and a 52-foot deck plate girder span with timber pile trestle approaches on the west side. The bridge maintained this configuration until the 1990s, when the southernmost track was removed. In 2007, the bridge was rebuilt, and the 52-foot deck plate girder span and trestle spans replaced by modern deck girder spans, and the south track would be placed onto steel pile piers and concrete abutments. The girder spans of the bridge utilize a standard design, and were painted and repaired during the 2007 project. This type 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, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | The Iron Age; Volume 86 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |