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| Name | Chichaqua Valley Trail - Fourmile Creek Bridge Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K227.65 |
| Built By | Chicago Great Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Polk County Conservation Board |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 232 Feet Total, 50 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 25 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Steel Stringer and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | c. 1960 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge Number | K227.65 (Old F256) |
| Significance | Minimal Significance |
| Documentation Date | 4/18/2014; 4/11/2017; 11/2/2025 |
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 Berwick, this steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridge carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over Fourmile Creek. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle bridge, constructed when the line was first built. Through much of the 20th Century, it is believed that this bridge was periodically renewed with in-kind materials. In approximately 1960, it was decided to rebuilt the structure entirely, installing the present steel span. Currently, the bridge consists of a 50-foot steel stringer span, approached by five timber pile trestle spans on the south end and eight timber pile trestle spans on the north end. The entire bridge is set onto timber pile substructures. The main span follows a standard design, with four shallow beams arranged into two sets of two. This span also uses bolted connections instead of rivets, further indicating it is from later in the 20th Century. The approaches and substructures all use a standard design, with standard bents and stringers. An unknown contractor fabricated the main span, while the timber components were constructed by railroad company forces. Steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridges were commonly used by railroads, as it provided a cost effective and easy to construct design. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen no significant alterations. In 2015, the bridge was rehabilitated with a concrete deck and railings, and is now used as part of the Chichaqua Valley Trail. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, although some timber components have superficial fire damage from an arson. The author has ranked this bridge as being minimally significant, due to the common design and newer age.
Citations
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |