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| Name | Great Western Trail - North River Bridge Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K203.89 |
| Built By | Chicago Great Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Warren County Conservation Board |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 160 Feet Total, 60 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry, Concrete and Steel Bent |
| Date Built | c. 1930 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge Number | K203.89 (Old F286) |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/4/2019 |
In 1884, the Wisconsin, Iowa & Nebraska Railway (WI&N) constructed 104 miles of new railroad, extending from Waterloo, Iowa to Des Moines, Iowa. In 1886, the WI&N was sold to the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City Railway (CStP&KC). In 1887, the CStP&KC constructed 27 miles of additional railroad between Oelwein, Iowa and Waterloo; followed by 159 miles between Des Moines and St. Joseph, Missouri in 1888. In 1891, the Leavenworth & St. Joseph Railway (L&StJ) completed an additional 23 miles between St. Joseph and Beverly, Missouri. In 1892, the L&StJ was sold to the Chicago Great Western Railway (CGW), followed by the CStP&SJ in 1893. The CGW would be reorganized as the Chicago Great Western Railroad in 1909. The CGW had acquired and constructed a modest railroad network throughout Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri; connecting major cities in these states. The CGW was one of the smaller railroads in the area, and was late to develop lines. As a result, the railroad never saw the fortunes of other railroads in the area. This line served as a principal mainline for the CGW, proving a connection to Kansas City via a swing bridge at Leavenworth, Kansas and trackage rights over the Missouri Pacific Railway.
In the early 20th Century, the CGW was often surviving on razor-thin profit margins. In 1940, the CGW entered bankruptcy, and was again reorganized as the Chicago Great Western Railway. At this time, the MC&FD was formally merged into the CGW. After the bankruptcy, the CGW became an innovative railroad, pioneering intermodal service and becoming one of the first railroads to completely switch to diesel locomotives. A capital improvement program was launched in 1949, which sought to rebuild and rehabilitate deteriorated infrastructure. In 1968, the CGW was purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW). This route provided the C&NW with access to Kansas City, although deteriorated track conditions limited effective operations. After the C&NW purchased the former Rock Island "Spine Line", the former CGW route became excess. In 1983, the line between Marshalltown and Bondurant, Iowa was abandoned, followed by the entire line between Des Moines and Beverly in 1984. Another segment between Waterloo and Marshalltown was abandoned in 1988.
In 1995, C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP). UP abandoned a section of the line in Des Moines in 2001. In 2003, UP sold the Oelwein to Waterloo segment to Iowa Northern Railway (IANR). Another section of the line between Bondurant and Des Moines was abandoned in 2011. In 2025, IANR was purchased by Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN continues to operate the Oelwein segment as the Oelwein Subdivision. Several sections of this line have been reused as parts of trails, including the Sargent Road Trail between Waterloo and Hudson; the Chichaqua Valley Trail between Baxter and the north side of Des Moines and the Great Western Trail between the south side of Des Moines and Martensdale. The remainder of the railroad has been abandoned and reverted to adjacent property owners. However, much of the original right-of-way is intact.
Located between Cumming and Churchville at the former station of Lida, this deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over the North River. The first bridge at this location likely consisted of a timber truss bridge, approahced by timber pile trestle spans. During the early 20th Century, the CGW invested significant capital into this line, replacing timber bridges with steel and stone structures. In approximately 1900, it is believed the bridge was rebuilt with steel spans of an unknown design, set onto stone substructures. Another significant improvement project was undertaken in the 1920s and 1930s, which renewed aging steel bridges with heavier steel structures. In approximately 1930, the present bridge was constructed. Currently, the bridge consists of two 60-foot deck plate girder spans and a 40-foot deck plate girder span. The bridge is set onto a variety of substructures, including a concrete capped stone south abutment, concrete piers and a concrete north abutment. In addition, the southern pier uses a steel bent above the concrete pier to hold the superstructure. It is unclear if this pier is only concrete, or if it was a stone pier encased in concrete.
The superstructure follows a standard design, with two heavy plate girders per span and an open deck. The piers are both constructed with a rectangular shape, with the north pier significantly thinner than the south pier. On top of the south pier, a steel bent composed of V-laced beams supports the superstructure. The south abutment uses a standard U-shaped design, with a stone bottom and a concrete top. The north abutment uses a standard design, with sloped wing walls extending diagonally from the bridge. Stone for the south abutment consists of a tan limestone, quarried at an unknown location. An unknown contractor fabricated the superstructure, and additional unknown contractors constructed the stonework and the concrete substructures. 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. After abandonment, a timber deck and railings were added to the bridge, and it is now part of the popular Great Western Trail. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |