BNSF Des Moines River Bridge (Runnells)

This connection was built in 1968 during the construction of Lake Red Rock. It was a connection between the Wabash running on the north side of the river and the cB&Q running on the south side.

The line is less than two miles long.
06/26/21

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Located near the town of Runnells, this large bridge is a modern crossing of the Des Moines River.
Built in 1965 as a part of the Lake Red Rock project, the massive bridge has 39 total spans. Three of these spans are riveted Warren Through Truss spans, while the other 36 are of I-Beam construction. The entire bridge sits on concrete substructures.
This connection and bridge allowed for the removal of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy tracks between Des Moines and the connection, as well as the Wabash tracks between Runnells and Harvey.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition. It sits parallel to Iowa Highway 316.

The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the modern age.
The photo above is an overview.

Des Moines River Railroad Bridges

Upstream	UP Des Moines River Bridge
Downstream	Wabash Bridge (Durham)