logo

UP E. Fork Des Moines River Bridge (Algona)

Deck Plate Girder Bridge over E. Fork Des Moines River
Algona, Kossuth County, Iowa

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name UP E. Fork Des Moines River Bridge (Algona)
Built By Chicago & North Western Railway
Contractor Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Length 224 Feet Total, 80 Foot Main Spans
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Girder and Trestle
Substructure Type Stone Masonry and Timber Pile
Date Built 1902
Traffic Count 2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
C&NW Bridge Number 809
UP Bridge Number 88.64
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date July 2017

Located in north of Algona, this large deck girder bridge crosses the East Fork Des Moines River.
Built in 1902 to replace an older bridge, this bridge features a pair of deck girder spans, approached by trestle. The piers of the bridge are built of stone.
Currently, the bridge remains in the original configuration. A sizable amount of work was done on area C&NW lines in 1902, resulting in numerous deck girders built this year over major northern Iowa rivers.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition.

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

E. Fork Des Moines River Railroad Bridges
Upstream Armstrong Rail Bridge
Downstream Algona Rail Bridge

Citations

Source Type

Source
Build Date Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele