Located in the middle of Nora Springs, this through girder bridge was built to replace an older truss bridge.
The previous bridge at this location was a pin connected Pratt Through Truss, likely built in the mid 1890s. Like many other structures along the former Milwaukee Road, it eventually became too light for trains, and was replaced by the current structure around 1996.
While the current bridge does not appear to be anything special, it is actually built using two relocated through girder spans. These spans appear to have been part of the same bridge. There is some belief among railroad employees that the bridge was probably in place by early 1997, despite 1998 writing on the pier.
Currently, the bridge consists of a 75 foot through girder and a 65 foot through girder. It is likely that the 65 foot through girder was cut down upon being moved here. The bridge rests on stone, concrete and steel pile substructures. It also appears that the girder was rebuilt with a new floor system upon being moved.
It appears that the girders date to Ca. 1910. While relocating spans was much more common prior to the modern era, it still occasionally happens in emergencies or when quality secondhand material is available.
The author has struggled to find a likely original location for these spans. It is believed these spans are likely from a Milwaukee Road bridge, although it is unknown if I&M Rail Link pulled the spans from one of their lines or if the Soo Line provided them.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in excellent condition, with no significant deterioration.
Historic photo of the bridge
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | DM&E Shell Rock River Bridge (Plymouth) |
| Downstream | IANR Shell Rock River Bridge (Rockford) |