Trail/(EJ&E+CM&G)/AP&J Bridge over Fox River in Aurora, IL

(Bridge Hunter, John Marvig, 3D Satellite, note it now carries the Virgil Gilman Trail built on the abandoned EJ&E+CM&G right-of-way.)

CM&G = Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary

AP&J = Aurora, Plainfield, & Joliet

See EJ&E Aurora Depot for more information on where the right-of-way went west of here.

A Chris Schultz comment on a Jeff Wojciechowski posting (which includes three photos of this bridge):

EJ&E Aurora branch until a bit west of the underpass of 31, then it became the CG&M to Rockford. The CG&M was bought by the Milwaukee Road in the 1920s and abandoned west of Aurora in 1947. The EJ&E used this branch to serve a few customers in Aurora into the early 80s.

Milwaukee operation of EJ&E from Joliet to Aurora discontinued on August 27, 1949. [1968 Track Profile, p6]

Kevin Piper posted
The 304 has picked up two more cars after leaving Wolfs, and is crossing the Fox River as it arrives in Aurora on 10-2-65. LOUIS CERNY PHOTO/KEVIN PIPER COLLECTION
[The bank looks like it is lined with trees now. I don't know if I could get an elevation shot today.]

EJ&E Archive Website from Bridge Hunter

This raises the question of how/why did the EJ&E get here? Today's CN/EJ&E is east of here. It turns out, this is part of the route that Milwaukee/CM&G shared with EJ&E between Joliet and Aurora. Specifically, where the EJ&E now turns north, it used to also continue on a straight line along the north side of US-30. Then you can follow the treelines and curved parking lots to Hill Avenue. From there you can follow the Virgil Gilman Nature Trail to the bridge and further west.

Satellite plus Paint

Chuck Stew posted
I see these on Route 30 in between wolfs crossing and Harvey road and I'm wondering if they have something to do with the EJ&E Aurora Branch?
Greg Benco: The closest one was for an interurban line to Aurora. The farther one is from the J's Aurora branch.
Ken Morrison: Greg Benco Aurora, Plainfield, & Joliet

 

Dennis DeBruler commented on Chuck's post

It is good that you took the photo with the leaves off the trees.

https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m6!1e1!3m4...

Mike Griesmann posted
Came across this photo a while back. The EJ&E bridge across the Fox River in Aurora.
Photographer unknown.

Mike commented on his posting
 Quite a change.

Mike commented on his posting

Frank DeVries posted the comment: "Trivia time... We all know the bridge in Joliet was 198, the one at Devine is 552. What was the bridge number for the bridge in Aurora IL over the Fox River?"
Eric Berg Bridge 420, shared by CM&G. http://johnmarvigbridges.org/Aurora%20Trail%20Bridge.html

Jeff Kehoe posted
Like old RR bridges? Well, so do I, and this EJ&E bridge (said to be over a century old) crosses the Fox River south of Aurora, but it's now part of the Gilman Nature Trail. The scene hasn't changed much since I took this picture thirty years ago for a photography class!

Dennis DeBruler commented on Jeff's post
And you can access trails on both sides of the Fox River from there.
 https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7422598,-88.3279425,277a,35y,39.25t/data=!3m1!1e3