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| Name | UP Levis Creek Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #112 |
| Built By | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York (North Track) American Bridge Company of New York (South Track) |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown (North Track) Unknown (South Track) |
| Length | 190 Feet Total, 50 Foot Spans (North Track) 210 Feet Total, 70 Foot Main Spans (South Track) |
| Width | 2 Tracks, 1 In Use |
| Height Above Ground | 35 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Steel Tower (North Track) Concrete and Steel Bent (South Track) |
| Date Built | 1902 (North Track) 1911 (South Track) |
| Traffic Count | 5 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 112 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 141.90 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/18/2016 |
In 1867, the West Wisconsin Railway (WW) constructed 10 miles of new railroad, extending from Tomah to Warrens, Wisconsin. The following year, 21 additional miles would be completed to Black River Falls, Wisconsin; 34 additional miles were completed to Augusta, Wisconsin in 1869; 46 additional miles would be constructed to Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1870, and 44 miles between Eau Claire and Hudson, Wisconsin completed in 1871. In 1871, the St. Paul, Stillwater & Taylors Falls Railroad (StPS&T) completed 22 miles from St. Paul, Minnesota to Hudson in 1871. During 1872, the WW completed 32 miles of additional railroad between Elroy and Warrens, Wisconsin; and the previous alignment between Tomah and Warrens would be abandoned. The WW would be acquired by the Chicago, St. Paul & Minneapolis Railway in 1878, which was acquired by the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (Omaha Road) in 1880. The StPS&T would be acquired by the St. Paul & Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC) in 1880, and the StP&SC would be purchased by the Omaha Road in 1881. By acquiring this route, the Omaha Road had completed a mainline extending from Elroy, Wisconsin through St. Paul, Minnesota to Sioux City, Iowa.
The first significant improvement to this line was a new bridge and alignment at Hudson, Wisconsin; completed in 1881. At the same time, the Omaha Road was working to replace major bridges with new iron and stone structures. In 1883, the Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW). The C&NW operated numerous routes throughout the Upper Midwest, and the Omaha Road served as a principal component of the system. As traffic increased on this route, significant improvements would be made. Realignments would be completed in 1885 near Augusta and Merrillan; between Millston and Warrens in 1886; between Baldwin and Hersey and Altoona and Fall Creek in 1891; between Hudson and Roberts in 1898, and between Hersey and Knapp and west of Millston in 1899. Further realignments would occur in 1901, when a new cutoff around Black River Falls was completed. In 1903, more improvements were made between Roberts and Hammond; around Woodville; west of Menomonie; west of Elk Mound and near Truax. A second track was constructed between Augusta and Altoona in 1907. In 1911 ans 1912, the remaining second track would be constructed from Wyeville to Menomonie, including realignments near Eau Claire and Menomonie. The second track would be completed to St. Paul in 1913. In 1915, the original alignment in Black River Falls would be abandoned.In 1957, the C&NW leased the Omaha Road. Between 1957 and 1962, most of the second track would be removed. In 1971, the Sheppard to Black River Falls spur would be abandoned. By 1972, the Omaha Road was fully absorbed into the C&NW. In 1986, the Levis to Black River Falls spur would be abandoned. The Camp Douglas to Elroy segment would be abandoned in 1986, and purchased by Juneau County in 1972. The Omaha Trail would open on the former railroad in 1992. In 1992, the original alignment in Eau Claire would be abandoned. In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by Union Pacific Railroad. Today, UP operates the Altoona Subdivision from St. Paul to Altoona; the Wyeville Subdivision from Altoona to Wyeville; and the Camp Douglas Industrial Lead from Wyeville to Camp Douglas.
Located on the northeast side of Black River Falls, this large deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway mainline across Levis Creek. Originally, the Omaha Road mainline went through Black River Falls. During the late 1890s and early 1900s, the Omaha Road made significant upgrades to this line, constructing realignments and replacing lighter bridges with steel and stone structures. In 1902, the Omaha Road constructed a new cutoff and bridge across the Black River, bypassing Black River Falls to the north. When the cutoff was constructed, a new deck plate girder bridge was constructed across Levis Creek. In 1911, a second track was constructed between Wyeville and Merrillan, and a second track was added to the south side of the bridge, giving the structure its current configuration.
Currently, the bridge consists of two distinct parallel deck plate girder bridges. The north (1902) span consists of three 50-foot deck plate girder spans and 2-20' deck plate girder spans, set onto stone abutments and steel towers. The south (1911) track consists of three 70-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete abutments and steel bents. The girders on the north track use a shallow design, with an open deck and typical bracing. The towers are composed of built-up beams constructed of heavy X;lattice bracing, set onto stone pedestals. American Bridge Company fabricated the superstructure, while an unknown contractor constructed the substructures. The stone for this bridge was constructed using limestone quarried at Mankato, Minnesota. The south track spans are constructed heavier, using a similar design. The bents are constructed of steel beams, connected by built-up beams which use beams connected by thin plates and V-lacing. These bents are set onto concrete footings. Both abutments of both tracks use a deep design, typical of Omaha Road spans. Deck plate girder spans were commonly constructed for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Viaducts like this were popular for tall spans, as they were the most economical design. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. Today, only the north track remains in use. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build dates | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway Valuation Notes at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |