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Belmond Rail Bridge

Deck Plate Girder Bridge over E. Branch Iowa River
Belmond, Wright County, Iowa

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Belmond Rail Bridge
Built By Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By North Central Iowa Rail Corridor
Currently Operated By Iowa Northern Railway
Length 300 Feet Total, 50 Foot Spans
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Type Stone Masonry
Date Built 1900
Traffic Count 1 Train/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
C&NW Bridge Number 129.30
UP Bridge Number 0.68
Significance Moderate Significance
Documentation Date February 2020


Located just north of County Road C20 in Belmond, this large deck girder bridge crosses the East Branch of the Iowa River.
Built in 1900, the bridge consists of six spans of deck plate girder, set onto stone substructures. The BCRN was known for building long multi span bridges for crossings like this.
Since the original construction, little has changed with the bridge. However, some of the substructures have been encased in concrete.
The deck girders all appear to be identical, although no plaques were found on the bridge indicating who built it.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with little notable deterioration on the bridge. Currently, rail cars are occasionally stored just north of the bridge.

The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the common design and large size.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

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