CN Willow Creek Bridge (Arion)

Denison, Crawford County, Iowa

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Name	CN Willow Creek Bridge (Arion) Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #WA453.8
Built By	Illinois Central Railroad
Currently Owned By	Canadian National Railway
Superstructure Contractor	Unknown
Substructure Contractor	Unknown
Length	70 Feet Total, 35 Foot Spans
Width	1 Track
Height Above Ground	15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Concrete
Date Built	1920, Using Spans Fabricated c. 1895
Original Location	Unknown
Traffic Count	2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number	WA453.8
Canadian National Railway Bridge Number	453.8
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 alongside US Highway 30 and the former Chicago & North Western Railway mainline between Denison and Arion, this deck plate girder bridge carries a former Illinois Central Railroad mainline over Willow Creek. The first bridge at this location consisted of a timber pile trestle bridge, constructed when the line was first built. In the mid to late-1910s, the IC invested significant capital into this line, rebuilding many timber bridges with concrete and steel bridges. The present bridge was constructed in 1920, using spans fabricated in approximately 1895 for use at an unknown location. It is possible that these spans reused from the Hyde Park (Chicago) grade separations, which had similar spans that were reused throughout the system. These bridges were fabricated in 1892 by Detroit Bridge & Iron Works in advance of the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair. As the IC expanded operations in Chicago, the grade separations were replaced with modern structures in the late 1910s and early 1920s. Many of the spans from these bridges were placed between 1915 and 1921, and several were used throughout the IC system. Currently, the bridge consists of two 35-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete substructures. The superstructure follows a light version of a standard design, with two plate girders, an open deck and less bracing than 20th Century deck plate girder spans. The pier uses a standard rectangular pier, while the abutments use a design with stepped wing walls. An unknown contractor fabricated the superstructure, while it is unclear if the substructures were constructed by railroad company forces or by an unknown contractor. Railroads often reused steel and iron spans, as it provided a cost effective way to upgrade bridges without requiring large amounts of new material. Deck plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Since the initial 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 and unclear history.

Citations

Erection date	Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Iowa Division 1973 Track Profile
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele