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DM&E Bloody Run Bridge #23

Pratt Through Truss Bridge over Bloody Run
Marquette, Clayton County, Iowa

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name DM&E Bloody Run Bridge #23
Built By Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Currently Owned By Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad
Length 150 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Pratt Through Truss
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1926
Traffic Count 4 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
MILW Bridge Number R-16
Significance Moderate Significance
Documentation Date November 2018


Located west of Marquette, this large through truss is the 23rd crossing of Bloody Run.
Built in 1926 to replace an older truss, this bridge features a unique skewed 6-panel riveted Pratt Through Truss. This span sits on concrete substructures.
Despite the 1917 date stamp, contract reports suggest that this is the 150-foot span ordered in late 1925 for use near Marquette, Iowa. No other span matchs these dimensions.
The bridge is heavily built up, with laced members and riveted connections. The bridge can be accessed from hiking trails in Bloody Run County Park.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good to fair condition, with minor deterioration.

The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Railway Age, Volume 79
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele