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| Name | River Bend Trail - Prairie River Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #G-382 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | City of Merrill |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 187 Feet Total, 65 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 5 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1903 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to Pedestrian Traffic |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | G-382 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/14/2014 |
In 1914, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road) completed an 18 mile line between Merrill, Wisconsin and New Wood, Wisconsin to serve a logging industry. The line was one of a number of similar branches in north central Wisconsin. By the early 20th Century, the Milwaukee Road was among
the largest railroads in the United States, operating a network of
railroad lines over 10,000 miles in length. The
Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble,
especially after the
costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company
declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul
and Pacific Railroad in 1928. As the logging industry died out, the line would be abandoned. The western three miles were abandoned in November 1926, and the remainder was abandoned in April 1943. A short spur remained intact in Merrill. The Milwaukee Road again entered
bankruptcy in 1977 and was forced to liquidate unprofitable lines. By 1985, a suitor for
the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo Line Railroad,
controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the Milwaukee Road
in 1986. In 1987, the line was
sold to the Wisconsin Central, Ltd. (WC). In approximately 1990, the remainder of the line would be abandoned. Today, a short portion in Merrill has been reused as part of the city trail system, while the remainder has been abandoned.
Located in Merrill, this through plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific New Wood Branch over the Prairie River near its confluence with the Wisconsin River. The first bridge at this location was a 60-foot wooden pony truss span, approached by lengthy timber pile trestle approaches. In 1903, the bridge would be rebuilt with the present bridge, and much of the approaches filled. Currently, the bridge consists of a 65-foot type C4 through plate girder span, approached by timber pile trestle spans and set onto timber pile substructures. The superstructure uses a standard design, with heavy girders, a traditionally composed floor and square girder ends. C4 girders differ from C3 girders in the design of the floor. While a C3 girder uses four stringers spaced equally under the entire track, a C4 girder utilizes a more traditional floor with two stringers, placed under the rails. An unknown contractor fabricated the steel span, while the approaches and substructures were constructed by railroad company forces. Through plate girder spans were popular with railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. Since abandonment, the bridge has been reused as part of the River Bend Trail, and a wooden decking and metal handrails added to the bridge. 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
| Build date | Milwaukee Road Bridge Index, located at the Milwaukee Road Archives at the Milwaukee Public Library |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |