- 1867: 50 miles completed from California Junction to Sloan, Iowa by the Sioux City & Pacific Railway
- 1868: 20 miles completed from Sloan to Sioux City, Iowa by the Sioux City & Pacific Railway
- 1901: SC&P purchased by Chicago & North Western Railway
- 1995: Chicago & North Western purchased by Union Pacific Railroad
- 1995-present: Union Pacific operates the Sioux City Subdivision between California Junction and Sioux City
02/25/23
This large truss bridge crosses the Little Sioux River parallel to Austin Avenue, north of Little Sioux.
Built in 1902, the bridge features a single massive riveted Quadrangular Through Truss main span, with an A-Frame portal. The truss span is approached by a through girder and a short deck girder to the north, as well as a single deck girder to the south. The through girder span was added in 1904.
The entire bridge rests on stone and concrete substructures. This type of bridge is common for large crossings along C&NW routes. One notable quality of C&NW bridges of this era is the use of stone, which often leads to the bridge lasting longer.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition. The abutments have been reinforced with a concrete jacket and the north abutment braced with an H-pile.
The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
The photo above is an overview.