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UP Bridge #203.15

Deck Plate Girder Bridge over Unnamed Drainage Ditch
South of Ashton, Osceola County, Iowa

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Name UP Bridge #203.15
Built By Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway
Contractor Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company of Milwaukee
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Length 36 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 5 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built Ca. 1910
Traffic Count 4 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
C&NW Bridge Number 720
UP Bridge Number 203.15
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date November 2019


Located south of Ashton, this deck girder bridge crosses an unnamed drainage ditch along Iowa Highway 60.
Built in approximately 1910, the bridge consists of a single deck girder span, set onto concrete substructures. The girder is one of the only spans found between St. Paul and Sioux City that used Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company as a contractor. The deck girder also uses a twinned design, with four girder lines. It is unknown if this is original to the structure.
It is likely that this bridge replaced an older trestle bridge of some sort. Unfortunately, like many bridges along this route, the plaques on the bridge have been taken. The author intends to conduct more research on this structure.
Overall, the bridge is in fair to good condition. The superstructure appears to be excellent, while the substructures have some spalling.

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

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Estimated
Contractor Missing plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele