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| Name | IC 7th Street Bridge Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #W324.77N |
| Built By | Illinois Central Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | City of Fort Dodge |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 140 Feet Total, 49 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 13 Feet 0 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder, Steel Stringer and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1919, Using a Secondhand Span Fabricated c. 1900 |
| Date Removed (East and West Approaches) | c. 1990 |
| Original Location | Unknown (Main Span) |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned) |
| Current Status | Abandoned and Partially Removed |
| Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number | W324.77N |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/26/2013; 4/17/2017 |
In 1857, the Dubuque and Pacific Railroad (D&P) began construction of a new mainline across central Iowa, which sought to link to the existing Illinois Central Railroad (IC) at Dubuque, Iowa. In May 1857, the first 29 miles were completed between Dubuque and Dyersville, Iowa. In March 1860, the line was completed an additional 49 miles from Dyersville to Jesup, Iowa. In 1860, the D&P was sold to the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad (D&SC). The D&SC completed an additional 22 miles to Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1861; followed by an additional 43 miles to Iowa Falls, Iowa in 1866. By 1867, the IC had garnered interest in this line, and leased the D&SC. The following year, a bridge across the Mississippi River at Dubuque was completed to link this line and the IC line towards Freeport, Illinois. In August 1869, the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad (IF&SC) completed an additional 49 miles from Iowa Falls to Fort Dodge, Iowa. In October 1870, an additional 135 miles were completed west to the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa. The IF&SC was also affiliated with the D&SC and IC; and was fully merged into the D&SC in 1888.
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 principal mainline for the company, connecting Chicago to the Missouri River at Sioux City. 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 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 Dubuque Subdivision between Dubuque and Waterloo, Iowa; the Waterloo Subdivision between Waterloo and Fort Dodge, and the Cherokee Subdivision between Fort Dodge and Sioux City.
Located in Fort Dodge, this abandoned deck girder bridge carries a former Illinois Central Railroad yard lead over 7th Street near Kenyon Road. During the late 1910s and early 1920s, the IC made significant improvements to their facilities at Fort Dodge, and greatly expanded the railroad yard. As part of the work, the adjacent mainline bridge was widened for a second track, and in 1919, a second bridge was constructed for a yard lead. Originally, the bridge consisted of a 49-foot deck plate girder span, set onto concrete piers. The east approach was composed of a 21-foot steel stringer span and a 19-foot steel stringer span, while the west approach consisted of timber pile trestle spans. Both approaches were set onto timber pile substructures, and the bridge ran at a significant skew. Both approaches were removed in approximately 1990, leaving only the main span and piers intact. The main span appears to have been fabricated in approximately 1900 for use at an unknown location, and potentially altered upon reuse here. This span consists of two shallow girders and an open deck. Several similar sized spans were reused from the original 1892-era Hyde Park Grade Separation in Chicago during this era, and it is possible this span was reused from there as well. It is unclear if the east approach was also reused from another location. An unknown contractor fabricated the main span, and additional unknown contractor(s) fabricated the approach spans. An unknown contractor also constructed the concrete piers. Deck plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. Overall, the remaining span appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. It is likely that the main span was left intact to act as a headache bar for the adjacent mainline bridge. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design, partial removal and unknown history.
Citations
| Build date | Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Iowa Division 1973 Track Profile |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |