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| Name | TR - Wisconsin River Bridge |
| Built By | Marinette, Tomahawk & Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Tomahawk Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 372 Feet Total, 75 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | c. 1940 Using a Span Fabricated c. 1900 |
| Original Location | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/14/2014 |
In 1894, William Bradley organized the Marinette, Tomahawk & Western Railway Company (MT&W) to construct a short line railroad to serve the paper mills of the Tomahawk, Wisconsin area, located along the Wisconsin River. The Bradley organization constructed 14 miles of new railroad, extending from Tomahawk, Wisconsin to Harrison, Wisconsin in 1896. In addition, the Wisconsin and Chippewa Railway (W&C) constructed 6 miles between Tomahawk and Bradley, Wisconsin in 1898; as well as a 14 mile branch between Jersey City, Wisconsin and Spirit Falls, Wisconsin. The W&C was acquired by the MT&W in 1898. In 1912, the railroad lines were consolidated into a new MT&W company. This series of lines provided access to lumber operations east and west of Tomahawk, as well as access to paper mills in Tomahawk and connections to other major railroads. On the south end, the railroad connected to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) line, which ran north from Wausau, Wisconsin. On the north end, the railroad connected to the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line) line that ran between Minneapolis, Minnesota and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
The railroad was a small operation, and was generally not considered to be a common carrier company. Instead, the Wisconsin Railroad Commission classified it as a logging railroad. After William Bradley died in 1903, the line between Tomahawk and Harrison was leased to the Tomahawk & Eastern Railroad (T&E). The line between Tomahawk and Spirit Falls was abandoned in 1932, and the line between Tomahawk and Harrison was abandoned in 1948. The MT&W continued independent operations until 2005, when it was purchased by Genesee & Wyoming, a conglomerate of short line railroads throughout the United States. Upon purchase by Genesee & Wyoming, the name was changed to the Tomahawk Railway (TR). Currently, the TR operates 6 miles of track, extending from Bradley into Tomahawk. The railroad mainly serves a pulpboard mill, as well as some other industries in Tomahawk.
Located in Tomahawk, this through girder bridge carries the former Marinette, Tomahawk & Western Railway across the Wisconsin River (Lake Mohawksin). The first bridges at this location consisted of timber pile trestles, which were repeatedly reconstructed on a periodic basis. In approximately 1940, the bridge was reconstructed with the present structure. Currently, the bridge consists of a 75-foot through plate girder span, approached by ten spans of timber pile trestle on the south side and eight spans of timber pile trestle on the north side. The entire bridge is set onto timber pile substructures. The main span uses a standard design, with heavy girders and an open deck floor. This span was originally fabricated in approximately 1900, and was likely sold to the MT&W by a larger railroad company. Based on the design of the span, it is likely that the span was originally fabricated for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road), and appears to be a standard type "C3" type through girder. An unknown contractor fabricated the main span, while an additional contractor constructed the timber approaches and substructure. Through plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. Today, the bridge remains in use by the Tomahawk Railway, a shortline railroad. 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 and unknown history.
Citations
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |