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| Name | CN Bridge 445.1 Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #WA445.1 |
| Built By | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian National Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 96 Feet Total, 30 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1954, Using a Span Fabricated c. 1900 |
| Original Location | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number | WA445.1 |
| Canadian National Railway Bridge Number | 445.1 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 12/30/2018 |
Between 1857 and 1870, the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad (D&SC) had acquired and constructed a mainline across central Iowa, extending from the Mississippi River at Dubuque, Iowa to the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa. The D&SC had operated under lease from the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) since 1867, and connected to the IC system by using a bridge across the Mississippi River at Dubuque. This line provided several opportunities for the construction of branch lines. By the late 19th Century, the IC desired to enter the Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska markets. In 1890, the Omaha Bridge & Terminal Railway (OB&T) began construction on a line extending between Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska. A new bridge was constructed across the Missouri River between 1893 and 1894, with the goal of breaking the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) monopoly of traffic crossing the Missouri River at Omaha. Between September 1898 and January 1900, the Fort Dodge and Omaha Railroad (FD&O) constructed a 131-mile railroad line, extending from the existing D&SC mainline at Tara, Iowa to Council Bluffs, Iowa. The FD&O and OB&T were both leased by the D&SC/IC in 1899.
By the late 19th Century, the IC had developed and operated a sprawling railroad network in the central United States. This line served as a secondary mainline for the company, connecting Chicago to the Missouri River at Omaha. In the 20th Century, the IC had become a respected railroad, connecting several major cities in the central United States. The D&SC was fully merged into the IC in 1946. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). The bridge across the Missouri River was placed out of service in approximately 1980, although the tracks remain today. The entire IC system in Iowa, as well as the line between Dubuque and Chicago, were sold to the Chicago Central & Pacific Railroad (CC&P) in 1995. In 1988, the ICG was reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1996, the CC&P was repurchased by IC and in 1998, IC was purchased by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN operates the Omaha Subdivision between Tara and Council Bluffs.
Located southwest of Deloit, this deck plate girder bridge carries a former Illinois Central Railroad mainline over an unnamed creek. The first bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle bridge, constructed when the line was first built. In 1909, the bridge was renewed with a similar structure. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the IC invested significant capital into this route, upgrading and replacing many bridges. The present bridge was constructed in 1954. Currently, the bridge consists of a 30-foot deck plate girder span, approached by two timber pile trestle spans on the north end and three spans on the south end. The entire bridge is set onto timber substructures. The main span follows a standard design for the era, with two shallow plate girders and an open deck. It is believed that this span was fabricated in approximately 1900, and the span was originally used at an unknown location. It is likely that this span originally was located along the Fort Dodge to Omaha mainline. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, a number of identical spans were replaced and likely reused along the same line. The approach spans follow a standard IC design, with a ballast deck and timber bents. An unknown contractor fabricated the main span, while the timber components were likely built by railroad company forces. Deck plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Since the 1954 construction, the bridge has seen no significant alterations, and remains in regular use. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Erection date | Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Iowa Division 1973 Track Profile |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |