Passengers services on the system were discontinued in 1949 and the remaining freight business was switched from electric to diesel locomotives, which lasted into the 1950’s.
It became a part of the Chicago & North Western System, who abandoned most of the line in the 1980's.
Small Chunks and pieces of the old line still exist under Union Pacific Ownership.
This is one of the most famous bridges not crossing a river in Iowa. This one is rather infamous, for being low and almost killing someone.
The bridge was built in 1946 when 2nd Avenue opened. There was no way of ever knowing that the trucks would be so high when I-80/I-35 opened, routing trucks into downtown Des Moines via 2nd Avenue.
The bridge is currently 13'4" tall, much too short for modern trucks. It consists of 2 I-Beam spans supported by trestle piers and approached by trestle.
On October 8th 2012, a woman was driving a truck under this bridge very fast. She hit the I-Beam of the East Span, causing it to collapse and fall on her truck. Miraculously, she suffered only minor injuries. It took a couple days before the bridge was placed back on the piers.
The major user of this bridge is the Firestone Tire Factory.
The photo above is looking east along the bridge