UP Spring Creek Bridge (Rockford)

Between 1859 and 1862, the Kenosha, Rockford & Rock Island Railroad (KR&RI) constructed a 72-mile railroad line, extending from Kenosha, Wisconsin to Rockford, Illinois; via Harvard, Illinois.  The railroad became part of 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.  Known as the K-D line, this line provided a direct connection between the Milwaukee Division mainline at Kenosha and Rockford.  The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the Midwest, eventually building a system over 11,000 miles long.  Early in the 20th Century, this line lost importance, and was operated as little more than a branch line.  The line would be abandoned from Harlem to Caledonia in 1937, followed by Bain to Bassett in 1939.  The line from Genoa City to Bassett was abandoned in 1962, followed by Genoa City to Hebron in 1965.  The portion of the line between Chemung and Caledonia would be abandoned in 1988.  The C&NW was purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1995.  Today, UP continues to operate three short portions of this line, including between Kenosha and Bain; as well as Harvard to Chemung and a short segment in Rockford.  Portions of the line between Chemung and Caledonia have become part of the Long Prairie Trail.