Monday, January 25, 2021

Trail/WICT/IC 1887 Bridge over Sugar River in Belleville, WI and Stewart Tunnel

Bridge: (Bridge Hunter; John Marvig; no Historic Bridges; Satellite)
Tunnel: (Bridge Hunter; John MarvigSatellite)

The ICG abandoned the line in 1985, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation decided the line was of critical importance.
The Wisconsin & Calumet was contracted to operated the line, and continued with moderate success until 1993, when the tracks were embargoed.
Between 1993 and 1999, the line was used for motor car enthusiasts, with hope of returned freight service.
This service would never return, and the tracks were removed in 1999, and the state of Wisconsin and Stephenson County purchased the line.
In Wisconsin, the line is currently the Badger State Trail, which heads directly into Madison. One short stub of the old line remains in Madison.
In Illinois, the Jane Addams Trail uses the line between Freeport and the State Line.
09/04/18
[JohnMarvig]

Greg Mross posted
Ex-IC bridge in Belleville, WI, now a really nice bike trail. Even has a tunnel!
[Note the dimensional stone abutment.]

Tim Shannahan shared

I was going to pass on a pin-connected truss until I noticed it was an Illinois Central bridge. This was on an IC branch that went from Freeport, IL, to Madison, WI. 

Street View

John Marvig states that Wisconsin had nine tunnels at one time. That is because tunnels were common in the Driftless Area. The Driftless Area was left untouched by the latest glacier. So some big hills remain because they did not get sliced off by the glacier.

Photo taken by wikipedia user WISkies, License: Public domain: Released by author
[Parts of the tunnel are bare cut limestone.]



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