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| Name | CN Old St. Marys Street Bridge Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Bridge #535 |
| Built By | Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian National Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 53 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1903 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Bridge Number | 535 |
| Canadian National Railway Bridge Number | 22.06 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 2/22/2025 |
In 1888, the Gardner, Coal City & Northern Railway (GCC&N) constructed a railroad line extending south from Plainfield, Illinois to South Wilmington, Illinois. The route served as a branch line to serve industries along the Illinois River. The railroad was incorporated into the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E) soon after completion. The EJ&E formed an outer belt around Chicago,
connecting to all
railroads entering the city. This line served as a branch line for the
railroad. In addition, the EJ&E served the
numerous steel mills located along Lake Michigan. During the late
1890s, steel companies were utilizing vertical integration to streamline
operations. The railroad would become a subsidiary of Illinois Steel
in 1898, later becoming part of Federal Steel Company, and eventually
United States Steel Corporation in 1901. Under US Steel, the EJ&E
would retain its name. During the early 20th Century, the branch slowly
diminished in importance as industries closed. The line between Goose Lake and South Wilmington would be abandoned in 1935. During the 20th Century, more industries began to open along the line. In 1988, US Steel sold
the EJ&E to Transtar, a holding company. The EJ&E was sold to the Canadian National Railway (CN) in 2009.
Today, CN operates the Illinois River Subdivision between Plainfield and Goose Lake.
Located in Minooka, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway over a former alignment of St. Marys Street. It is unknown if there was a previous bridge at this location. In 1903, the current bridge would be constructed, consisting of a 53-foot deck plate girder span, set onto stone abutments. The girder span utilizes a traditionally composed design, and runs at a heavy skew. A plaque on the bridge indicates that the structure was fabricated by the American Bridge Company, and it is unknown what contractor completed the stone abutments. The use of stone in the 20th Century was uncommon, and may indicate that the present bridge reused the substructure from a previous bridge. Deck plate girder spans were popular with railroads, as they provided a simple, durable and easy to construct design. Since the 1903 construction, the bridge has had little if any significant alterations. 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.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |