Fox Cities Trestle

View an article discussing the use of cylinder piers by the C&NW (digitalized by Google)

Located in Neenah, this lengthy deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago & North Western Railway mainline over Little Lake Butte Des Morts (Fox River). The first bridge at this location was a single track timber pile trestle, which had been repeatedly renewed since the line was first built. In the late 1900s and early 1910s, the C&NW made significant upgrades to its lines in eastern Wisconsin, replacing timber bridges with steel and concrete structures and constructing a double track where feasible. In 1909, contracts were awarded for replacing bridges across Little Lake Butte Des Morts (this bridge), the Neenah Channel and across the Menasha Channel. Work on the structures began in late 1909, and was completed in December 1910. All three bridges used a similar design, with identical sized girders and piers founded on steel cylinders. Currently, the bridge consists of 33 single track 46-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto steel cylinder piers and concrete abutments. The girder spans use a standard design, consisting of two shallow plate girders and an open deck. In addition, the girders have an additional flange which runs longitudinally near the top and walkways which are supported by steel brackets mounted to the girders. The piers consist of three steel cylinders, which have been filled with concrete. A transverse plate girder rests on top of these cylinders, which the superstructure resting on this girder. While the bridge was constructed for a single track, both the piers and abutments were constructed so that a second track could easily be added to the west side of the bridge.

Modern Structural Steel Company fabricated the superstructure and transverse girders, while O'Keefe & Orbison constructed the cylinder piers and abutments. Deck plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. The C&NW used steel cylinder piers at several major structures during the early 20th Century, as they provided many benefits compared to stone or concrete piers. When a second track is not yet justified but planned in the future, steel cylinder piers provided the greatest economy, with double track piers costing only slightly more. In addition, this design of pier was particularly adept to be constructed under live traffic without minimal interruption to service, and required no dredging or cofferdams to reach stable ground. Many bridges in the Fox Cities area use a similar design to this bridge, due to the dynamic nature of the Fox River and need for lengthy, permanent structures with no concern for clearance underneath. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen no significant alterations. After abandonment in the late 1990s or early 2000s, the bridge was purchased by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to be reused as a trail. In 2005, the bridge was opened as part of the Friendship Trail. Known as the Fox Cities Trestle, the bridge has been retrofitted with a wooden deck, attractive cable railings and three large observation platforms on the south side of the bridge. Today, the bridge has become a popular piece of the community. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, as it is an exceptionally long example of a design commonly seen in the area.