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Iowa Falls Rail Bridge (East)

Deck Girder Bridge over Iowa River
Iowa Falls, Hardin County, Iowa

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Iowa Falls Rail Bridge (East)
Built By Des Moines, Iowa Falls & Northern Railroad
Contractor Des Moines Bridge & Iron Company of Des Moines
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Length 380 Feet Total, 100 Foot Largest Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 60 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1908
Traffic Count 15 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
UP Bridge Number 147.30
Significance Moderate Significance
Documentation Date March 2021

This deck girder bridge crosses high above the Iowa River in Iowa Falls.
Built in 1908, the bridge contains five deck girder spans crossing the Iowa River and a small road. These girders are set on concrete substructures, which tower over the river valley below.
This bridge is one of the largest on the Kansas City-St. Paul "Spine Line", and likely also one of the highest.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with little notable deterioration. Some substructures are beginning to spall.

Historic Photo
Historic photo of the bridge. Credit to PhotoLibrarian on Flickr, used with Creative Commons permission.

The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the large size but common design.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge can be accessed from the road underneath.

Iowa River Railroad Bridges
Upstream Iowa Falls Rail Bridge (W)
Downstream Steamboat Rock Trail Bridge

Citations

Source Type

Source
Build Date Construction of route
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele