UP Dutch Creek Bridge (Ringwood)

In 1854, the Fox River Valley Railroad (FRV) constructed 36 miles of new railroad line, extending between the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad line at Elgin, Illinois; north to Genoa, Wisconsin.  In 1860, the FRV became part of the Elgin & State Line Railroad (E&SL).  This railroad was one of a number of branch lines constructed in northeast Illinois during the early years of railroad development.  In 1871, an additional nine miles were completed north to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin by the State Line and Union Railroad Company (SL&UR).  This railroad became part of the E&SL in 1880, and the E&SL was consolidated into the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1883.  The C&NW was beginning to construct and acquire a large network of railroads throughout the Midwest.  In 1888, the C&NW funded a subsidiary, the Geneva & State Line Railway Company, to construct an additional 6 miles to Williams Bay, Wisconsin.  The railroad would be consolidated into the C&NW in 1889, and the line would not be extended further. 

This route served as a branch line for the C&NW, connecting industries in cities along the Fox River.  The line also connected to an additional C&NW route at Genoa.  The C&NW would become a prominent railroad in the Midwest, eventually building a system over 11,000 miles long.  Throughout the 20th Century, the importance of this line diminished.  The C&NW would abandon the line between Lake Geneva and Williams Bay in 1966; between Lake Geneva and Ringwood, Illinois in 1982; and between Crystal Lake and Elgin in 1983.  In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by Union Pacific Railroad.  Today, Union Pacific continues to operate the Crystal Lake to Ringwood portion of the line as the McHenry Subdivision, which serves a couple of industries and commuter service to McHenry as an extension of the Metra Union Pacific-Northwest Line.  In addition, the Fox River Trail utilizes the railroad grade between Elgin and Carpentersville; and the Prairie Trail uses and runs parallel to the grade between Carpentersville and the state line.