Railroad Bridges in Polk County, Iowa
Polk County is located in central Iowa. The seat and largest city are both Des Moines, the Capital of Iowa.
Random Bridges
Clive Greenbelt Trail - Walnut Creek Bridge
Clive Greenbelt Trail - Walnut Creek Bridge
(Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge #Y-22)
This unique through plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) branch line over Walnut Creek at Campbell Park in Clive
Owner: City of Clive
Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic
Built 1917 using a span fabricated 1889
by
Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago, Illinois
for
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway
Design:
65' through plate girder and timber pile trestle
Description:
Through plate girder bridge over Walnut Creek
Significance:
Chicago Great Western Railway Culvert #K226.48
Chicago Great Western Railway Culvert #K226.48
This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over an unnamed creek near Northeast 29th Street southwest of Berwick
Owner: Polk County Conservation Board
Status: Abandoned
Built c. 1900
by
Unknown
for
Chicago Great Western Railway
Design:
4' stone arch culvert
Description:
Stone arch culvert over unnamed creek
Significance:
Chichaqua Valley Trail - Ditch 38 Bridge
Chichaqua Valley Trail - Ditch 38 Bridge
(Chicago Great Western Bridge #K239.39)
This steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridge carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over Polk County Ditch #38 between Santiago and Valeria
Owner: Polk County Conservation Board
Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic
Built c. 1940
by
Unknown
for
Chicago Great Western Railway
Design:
30' steel stringer and timber pile trestle
Description:
Steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridge over Polk County Ditch #38
Significance:
Chichaqua Valley Trail - South Skunk River Bridge
Chichaqua Valley Trail - South Skunk River Bridge
(Chicago Great Western Bridge #K239.05)
This large deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over the South Skunk River between Santiago and Valeria
Owner: Polk County Conservation Board
Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic
Built 1921 and 1928
by
American Bridge Company of New York and Unknown
for
Chicago Great Western Railway
Design:
4-70' deck plate girders and timber pile trestle
Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over South Skunk River
Significance:
UP 2nd Avenue Bridge (Des Moines)
UP 2nd Avenue Bridge (Des Moines)
(Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway Bridge #314)
This steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridge carries a former Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway line over Iowa Highway 415 (2nd Avenue) and an unnamed creek on the north side of Des Moines
Owner: Union Pacific Railroad
Status: In Use
Built 1942
by
Unknown
for
Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway
Design:
2-33' steel stringers and timber pile trestle
Description:
Steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridge over Iowa Highway 415 (2nd Avenue) and unnamed creek
Significance:
Des Moines Red Bridge
Des Moines Red Bridge
(Des Moines Union Railway Bridge)
This iconic through truss bridge carries the former Des Moines Union Railway mainline across the Des Moines River between Court Avenue and Vine Street in Des Moines
Owner: City of Des Moines
Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic
Built 1891, 1905 and 1945 and 2006
by
Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan; Des Moines Bridge & Iron Works of Des Moines, Iowa; Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Company of St. Louis, Missouri and others
for
Des Moines Union Railway
Design:
2-152' Pratt through trusses, 1-78' through plate girder, 1-68' deck plate girder, 1-25' steel stringer and 1-45' steel stringer
Description:
Pratt through truss bridge over Des Moines River
Significance:
RI Branch Little Fourmile Creek Culvert
RI Branch Little Fourmile Creek Culvert
This small concrete arch culvert carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) secondary line over an unnamed creek west of Altoona
Owner: Iowa Department of Transportation
Status: Abandoned
Built 1896
by
Unknown
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway
Design:
10' concrete arch culvert
Description:
Concrete arch culvert over unnamed creek
Significance:
RI Fourmile Creek Bridge
RI Fourmile Creek Bridge
(Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Bridge #3603)
This deck plate girder bridge is the southern of two similar bridges carrying a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) line over Fourmile Creek on the east side of Des Moines
Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad
Status: Abandoned
Built c. 1905
by
American Bridge Company of New York and Unknown
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway
Design:
5-44' deck plate girders
Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over Fourmile Creek
Significance:
IAIS Camp Creek Tributary Bridge
IAIS Camp Creek Tributary Bridge
(Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Bridge #3493)
This deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) secondary line over an unnamed tributary of Camp Creek southwest of Mitchellville
Mitchellville, Polk County, Iowa
Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad
Status: In Use
Built c. 1955 using spans fabricated 1903 and 1907
by
American Bridge Company of New York
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway
Design:
1-68' and 2-44' deck plate girders and timber pile trestle
Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over unnamed tributary of Camp Creek
Significance:
NS Des Moines River Bridge
NS Des Moines River Bridge
This large through truss and steel stringer bridge carries a modern realignment of a former Wabash Railroad branch line over the Des Moines River alongside Iowa Highway 316 south of Runnells
Owner: Norfolk Southern Railway
Status: In Use
Built 1964
by
Unknown and L.G. Barcus Company of Kansas City, Missouri
for
Wabash Railroad and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Design:
3-188' Warren through trusses and 36-43' steel stringers
Description:
Warren through truss bridge over Des Moines River
Significance: