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Waterloo Rail Crossing

Through Plate Girder Bridge over Canadian National Railway
Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!

Name Waterloo Rail Crossing
Built By Chicago Great Western Railway
Contractor McClintic-Marshall Company of Chicago
Currently Owned By Iowa Northern Railway
Length 105 Feet Total, 65 Foot Main Span
Width 2 Tracks, 1 In Use
Height Above Ground 20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder
Substructure Type Stone Masonry and Steel Pile
Date Built 1930
Traffic Count 2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date May 2018

In 1887, the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City Railway built a 26 mile route between Oelwein and Waterloo, Iowa.
Built primarely to connect railroads at Waterloo and Oelwein, the route became part of the Chicago Great Western Railway in 1893.
The route continued to be operated as a main line for the CGW until 1968, when the CGW was purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway.
In 1995, the C&NW became part of Union Pacific, and UP sold the line to D&W Railroad in 2002.
Iowa Northern Railway purchased the route in 2003, and has continued to operate D&W as a subsidiary since.
06/26/21


Located in Waterloo along Martin Luther King Jr Drive, this large through girder bridge crosses the Canadian National yard.
Built in 1930, the bridge replaced an older bridge of unknown design. This bridge features two through girder spans, set onto stone and steel substructures.
Bridges like this were common as grade separations, due to the durability and ease of construction.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition.

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

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date McClintic-Marshall Plaque
Contractor McClintic-Marshall Plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele



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