- 1896: 27 miles completed from Hilbert Junction to Manitowoc, Wisconsin by Milwaukee & Lake Winnebago Railroad
- 1899: M&LW acquired by Wisconsin Central Railway
- 1899: Trackage rights gained from Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul between Neenah and Hilbert Junction
- 1961: WC merged with Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway and Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railway to form Soo Line Railroad
- 1984: Soo Line Corporation created by Canadian Pacific Railway as a holding company
- 1987: Route sold to Wisconsin Central, Ltd
- 2001: Canadian National Railway acquires Wisconsin Central, Ltd
- 2001-Present: Canadian National operates this line as the Manitowoc Subdivision
06/26/21
This large jumble of a bridge crosses the Manitowoc River on the former Soo Line branch to Manitowoc.
The bridge was originally built in 1896, using the through girder spans and trestle approaches. However; the bridge would be heavily rebuilt in the 1940s with I-Beam spans approaching the main spans.
In the 1990s, a fire on the bridge destroyed some piers and substructures; which were rebuilt. In addition, the east end was destroyed by this fire.
Presently, the bridge rests on a number of types of substructures. This includes wooden piles, steel piles and concrete capped bents.
Overall, the structure appears to be in decent condition, considering the damages that have been subjected to the bridge. It has been ranked by the author as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | Manitowoc High Trestle |
| Downstream | Upper Burger Swing Bridge |