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| Name | Virgil Gilman Trail - River Street Bridge Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Bridge #421 |
| Built By | Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Fox Valley Park District |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 80 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1926 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Bridge Number | 421 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/25/2022 |
In 1886, the Joliet, Aurora & Northern Railroad (JA&N) constructed 22 miles of new railroad, extending from Joliet, Illinois to Aurora, Illinois. In 1887, the JA&N was purchased by the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJE), which constructed an additional line north from Normantown to Spaulding, near present day Bartlett. At the same time, the EJ&E constructed additional lines east to Gary, Indiana. The following year, the Waukegan & Southwestern Railway (W&SW) would further extend the line to Waukegan, before being merged into the EJ&E. The EJ&E formed an outer belt around Chicago, connecting to all railroads entering the city. 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. In 1900, the Griffith & Northern Railway (G&N) constructed an extension from Griffith to Gary, Indiana, before also becoming part of the EJ&E.
During the 20th Century, the line became a critical component of railroad infrastructure in the Chicago area. The line provided a bypass around Chicago, forming an important belt railroad. In addition, the railroad serviced numerous industries along the line. Between 1902 and 1911, portions of the line between Joliet and Gary would be double tracked. Throughout the 20th Century, traffic on the line began to decline, particularly as steel manufacturing began to slow down. The line between Wolfs and Aurora would be abandoned in 1976, followed by the portion between Normantown and Wolfs in 1985. 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 Waukegan Subdivision between Waukegan and Leithton; the Leithton Subdivision between Leithton and Joliet, as well as the Matteson Subdivision between Joliet and Gary. The line serves as a critical part of the CN system, and has seen numerous upgrades since the CN purchase. The Virgil Gilman Nature Trail utilizes the former right-of-way in Aurora.
Located in Aurora, this through bridge carries the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway over River Street. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber trestle bridge, constructed when the line was built. In approximately 1901, the bridge would be replaced by an 80-foot through plate girder span, set onto new stone abutments. It is unknown which contractors constructed this bridge. As trains became heavier, the bridge would be replaced by the current bridge in 1926. Currently, the bridge consists of a 80-foot through plate girder span, set on stone abutments from the previous bridge. The ends of the girders utilize a rounded taper, a standard design for some railroads. In addition, the floor of the bridge is constructed of parallel floorbeams set between the girders, and no stringers are used. The girder was fabricated by American Bridge Company, which constructed many bridges for the EJ&E. Through girder spans were popular with railroads throughout the United States, as they were durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, and continues to serve as the Virgil Gilman Nature Trail. 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 |