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| Name | Chichaqua Valley Trail - South Skunk River Bridge Chicago Great Western Bridge #K239.05 |
| Built By | Chicago Great Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Polk County Conservation Board |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 452 Feet Total, 70 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1921 (North Spans) 1928 (South Spans) |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge Number | K239.05 (Old #F229) |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 2/22/2020 |
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 in a rural area near the Jasper County line between Santiago and Valeria, this deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over the South Skunk River. The first bridge at this location consisted of a short 6-span timber pile trestle bridge, which was last reconstructed in 1910. In 1920, the South Skunk River Drainage District ordered the CGW to reconstruct their bridge to permit the channelization of the river. In response, the CGW decided to construct a deck plate girder bridge, set onto concrete piers and approached by timber pile trestle spans, greatly enlarging the crossing. An $88,000 Authority for Expenditure (AFE) was approved for the project in April 1921, and work was completed that year. During a flood in 1924, an ice jam severely damaged the bridge. It is believed that the southern two deck plate girder spans were completely destroyed, and were replaced by timber pile trestle spans for several years. In 1928, two new deck plate girder spans were installed on the south end, giving the bridge its present configuration. Currently, the bridge consists of four heavily skewed 70-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete piers and approached by six timber pile trestle spans on either end.
The main spans follow a standard design, with two heavy plate girders per span and an open deck. The approach spans also follow a standard design, using several parallel stringers covered by a ballast deck and set onto standard timber pile bents. Similar to the main spans, the approach spans are also heavily skewed. The center three piers use a rectangular design with angled upstream noses, while the outer piers both use a similar design with a large concrete wall behind the girders to support the approach spans. American Bridge Company fabricated all four girder spans, while an unknown contractor constructed the substructures. It is believed all timber components were constructed by railroad company forces. The southern spans use a different shape plaque than the northern spans, reflecting the different construction dates. 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, an asphalt deck and metal wire railings were added to the bridge. Today, it carries the Chichaqua Valley Trail. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with significant deterioration to the approach spans. It is likely that the timber components may need to be rebuilt, although the center spans appear to remain in serviceable condition. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date and builder (south spans) | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Builder (north spans) | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Build date (north spans) | Chicago Great Western Railway Authority For Expenditure (AFE) at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |