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

Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (South)

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Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (South)

(Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K213.32)

This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over Frink Creek near Willow Creek Avenue on the south side of Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built c. 1900

by

Unknown

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
7' stone arch culvert

Description:
Stone arch culvert over Frink Creek

Significance:

Local

Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #2087

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Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #2087

This steel stringer bridge carries a former Chicago & North Western Railway secondary line over an unnamed creek northeast of Polk City

Polk City, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1913

by

American Bridge Company of New York and Cleary-White Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Chicago & North Western Railway

Design:
18' steel stringer

Description:
Steel stringer bridge over unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

Chicago & North Western Railway Culvert #2115

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Chicago & North Western Railway Culvert #2115

This standard concrete box culvert carries a former Chicago & North Western Railway secondary line over an unnamed creek alongside Northwest 58th Street south of Sheldahl

Sheldahl, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1914

by

Cleary-White Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Chicago & North Western Railway

Design:
6'x5' concrete box culvert

Description:
Concrete box culvert over unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

Inter-Urban Trail Bridge

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Inter-Urban Trail Bridge

(Wakonsa Bridge)

This historic Pratt through truss bridge carries a former Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway mainline across the Des Moines River downstream from Euclid Avenue in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: City of Des Moines

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1905 using spans fabricated c. 1885

by

Unknown

for

Inter-Urban Railway

Design:
4-125' Pratt through trusses and timber stringer

Description:
Pratt through truss bridge over Des Moines River

Significance:

High

NS Des Moines River Bridge

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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

Runnells, Polk County, Iowa

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:

Local

Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #2103

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Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #2103

This steel stringer bridge carries a former Chicago & North Western Railway secondary line over an unnamed creek alongside Northwest 58th Street north of Polk City

Polk City, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1913

by

American Bridge Company of New York and Cleary-White Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Chicago & North Western Railway

Design:
24' steel stringer

Description:
Steel stringer bridge over unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

IAIS Culvert #349.75

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IAIS Culvert #349.75

This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) mainline over an unnamed creek near Northeast 27th Avenue southwest of Altoona

Altoona, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad

Status: In Use

Built c. 1875

by

Unknown

for

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway

Design:
6' stone arch culvert

Description:
Stone arch culvert over unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (South)

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IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (South)

(Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge #Y-8)

This abandoned Pratt pony truss bridge carries a former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) branch line over Walnut Creek near Grand Avenue and 63rd Street in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Norfolk Southern Railway

Status: Abandoned

Built 1917 using a span fabricated 1897

by

Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company of North Milwaukee, Wisconsin

for

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway

Design:
106' Pratt pony truss and timber pile trestle

Description:
Pratt pony truss bridge over Walnut Creek

Significance:

Regional

C&NW Des Moines River Bridge

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C&NW Des Moines River Bridge

(Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K219.79)

This large Pratt through truss bridge once carried a Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over the Des Moines River between Southeast 1st Street and Southeast 6th Street in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Union Pacific Railroad

Status: Removed but not replaced

Built 1901

by

American Bridge Company of New York and Shepard, Winston & Company of St. Paul, Minnesota

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
4-180' Pratt through trusses

Description:
Pratt through truss bridge over Des Moines River

Significance:

Regional

Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (North)

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Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (North)

(Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K214.45)

This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline and Southwest 42nd Street over Frink Creek on the south side of Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built c. 1900 and 1972

by

Unknown

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
10' stone arch culvert

Description:
Stone arch culvert over Frink Creek

Significance:

Local