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Ashworth Park Rail Bridge

Lost Warren Through Truss Bridge over Walnut Creek
West Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Ashworth Park Rail Bridge
Built By Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad
Contractor Unknown
Last Owned By Iowa Interstate Railroad
Length 157 Feet Total, 113 Foot Main Span
Width 1 Track, Formerly 2 Tracks
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Warren Through Truss and Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built Ca. 1945 using a Ca. 1905 span
Date Removed Ca. 1990 and 2017
Traffic Count 0 Trains/Day (Bridge Has Been Replaced)
Current Status Replaced by New Bridge
IAIS Bridge Number 3611
Significance Moderate Significance
Documentation Date July 2013


This standard Warren Through Truss stood for many years, until it was replaced in 2017.
Originally built with one track in 1897, the bridge was expanded in 1901. The original 1897 span was a riveted Quadrangular Through Truss, which was replaced by the Warren Through Truss structure in the 1940s. This span was likely built approximately 1905 at an unknown location.
The added span was a 6 panel, riveted Warren Through Truss. The design is standard along Rock Island routes. In addition to the trusses, each span was approached by a small deck girder span. The bridge rested on concrete substructures.
While the 1901 span was removed in the 1990s, the warren span lasted until 2017.
Unfortunately, Iowa Interstate Railroad has decided to replace the number of trusses along their route. This truss was the first replaced, in the spring of 2017.
The author wishes a more historical preservation friendly approach would have been taken to preserve the bridge at this location.

The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the bridge having been one of a dying amount of trusses in Iowa.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Estimated based on similar bridges
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele