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| Name | CN E. Fork Galena River Bridge #8 Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #W-160.6 |
| Built By | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian National Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Works of Chicago (Girders) American Bridge Company of New York (Truss) |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 181 Feet Total, 117 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Warren Through Truss and Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1923, Reusing Girders Fabricated 1900 |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number | W-160.6 |
| Canadian National Railway Bridge Number | 160.6 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 4/16/2022 |
In 1851, the State of Illinois authorized the construction of a series
of railroad lines, extending from Cairo, Illinois; located on the Ohio
River, to the Mississippi River at East Dubuque, Illinois and to
Chicago, Illinois. The State awarded the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) with the land necessary
to construct the new lines. Surveys began in 1851, and the first
segments were completed by 1853. The northwestern section connected Freeport, Illinois to East Dubuque, Illinois. Construction was completed on this segment in 1855, and the line would later be extended across Iowa with a bridge over the Mississippi River to Dubuque in 1868. In 1890, the Chicago, Madison & Northern Railroad (CM&N), a subsidiary of the IC, constructed 102 miles of new railroad between Chicago and Freeport, Illinois; linking Chicago with the IC lines in northern Illinois. This served as an important connection for the IC, improving access to Chicago for the railroad. Due to heavy use, the section from Chicago to Broadview would be double tracked by 1895. The CM&N would be operated under lease by the IC until 1903, when it was consolidated into the IC. In the 20th Century, the IC was a respected railroad, operating an extensive railroad network through the central United States. This line served as a mainline for the IC, connecting lines in Iowa to Chicago. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad
(GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). This line, as well as the entire IC system in Iowa, was sold to the Chicago Central & Pacific Railroad (CC&P) in 1995. In 1988, the ICG
was reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1995, the CC&P was repurchased by IC and in 1998, IC was
purchased by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN operates the Freeport Subdivision between Broadview and Freeport, and the portion between Freeport and Dubuque is part of the Dubuque Subdivision.
Located between Galena and Council Hill Station, this through truss bridge is the eighth crossing of the East Fork Galena River along the former Illinois Central line. The first bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle. In 1900, a new through plate girder bridge would be constructed, set onto stone and concrete substructures. In the early 1920s, the Illinois Central began an improvement program, upgrading lighter steel bridges throughout the system. The present bridge was constructed in 1923 and consists of a 117-foot, 6-panel riveted Warren through truss span, approached by a 30-foot through plate girder span on either end. The west abutment and pier of the bridge were reused from the previous bridge, while the east pier and abutment were constructed in 1923. When the current bridge was constructed, the west substructures were encased with concrete. The reconstruction of the east substructures may indicate that the configuration or length of the bridge was changed in 1923. The girder spans were reportedly fabricated in 1900, and may have been reused from the previous bridge. It is likely that American Bridge Works fabricated these spans. The truss span was fabricated by American Bridge Company, while the substructure was constructed by an unknown firm. The truss span utilizes a standard design for the Illinois Central, consisting of an A-frame portal, heavily constructed members and laced endposts. The girder spans utilize a standard design for the era, with a shallow through girder design, and stringers consisting of four beams. Warren through truss spans became the dominant truss design in the early 20th Century, as it provided a strong, durable and cost effective design. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Builder and build date (truss) | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Builder and build date (girders) | Illinois Central Railroad Valuation Engineering Field Notes at the National Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |