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| Name | UP Bridge #48.50 Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #48 1/2 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York (East Track) King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio (West Track) |
| Length | 118 Feet Total, 40 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 30 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Fabricated | c. 1905 (East Track) 1912 (West Track) |
| Date Erected | c. 1935 |
| Original Locations | Unknown (East Track) Bridge #1756; Green Valley, Illinois (West Track) |
| Traffic Count | 1 Train/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 48 1/2 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 48.50 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/20/2024 |
In the early 1850s, the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU) completed a line between Chicago and Freeport, Illinois. In 1853, the railroad constructed 20 additional miles from Beloit, Wisconsin to Belvidere, Illinois. The G&CU was consolidated with the Chicago & North Western
Railway (C&NW) in 1864. The C&NW was beginning to construct and
acquire a large network of railroads throughout the Midwest. This line served to connect lines in Wisconsin with the G&CU line into Chicago. In 1885, the Northern Illinois Railway Company (NIR) completed an additional 76 miles from Belvidere to Spring Valley, Illinois; and would promptly be consolidated into the C&NW. The southern extension of this line provided the C&NW with access to the Illinois River Valley; which had an abundance of minerals, including coal.
The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the Midwest, eventually
building a system over 11,000 miles long. During the mid-20th Century, this route would become less important for the C&NW. In 1942, the segment between Caledonia and Sycamore would be abandoned, followed by the segment between Howe and Spring Valley in 1976; Troy Grove to Howe in 1981; DeKalb to Sycamore in 1984 and South Beloit to Caledonia in 1988. In 1995, the C&NW would
be purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad. Today, the Stone Bridge Trail utilizes the railroad between South Beloit and Caledonia. Union Pacific continues to operate the Troy Grove Subdivision between DeKalb and Troy Grove; as well as a short amount of trackage in Beloit.
Located in South Beloit, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago & North Western Railway over a driveway to an adjacent quarry. Constructed in approximately 1935, the bridge consists of a 40-foot double track deck plate girder span, approached by timber pile trestle spans and set onto timber pile substructures. The main span of the bridge utilizes a standard design, used throughout the C&NW system. Both deck plate girder spans were reused here from other locations. The western track once had a plaque indicating a fabrication date of 1912 and a builder of King Bridge Company, while the eastern track has a missing American Bridge Company plaque. It is believed the eastern track span was fabricated in approximately 1905. Because King Bridge Company only built a limited number of spans for the C&NW, it is believed that the western track may have come from Bridge #1756 near Green Valley, Illinois. This 40-foot deck plate girder span was fabricated in 1912 by the King Bridge Company, and was removed in 1932. Railroads often reused steel spans, as it provided a cost effective way to reconstruct bridges while requiring minimal new material. 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 to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unknown history.
Citations
| Builder and build date (west track) | King Bridge Company plaque |
| Builder (east track) | Missing American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |