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Wauwatosa Rail Bridge

Warren Pony Truss Bridge over Menomonee River
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name Wauwatosa Rail Bridge
Built By Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway
Contractor Pennsylvania Steel Company of Steelton, Pennsylvania
Currently Owned By Canadian Pacific Railway
Length 110 Feet Total
Width 2 Tracks
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Warren Pony Truss
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1905, Widened 1910
Traffic Count 80 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
MILW Bridge Number B-22
Significance Moderate Significance


Located in downtown Wauwautosa, this massive pony truss carries two tracks across the Menomonee River.
Originally built in 1905 to replace an 1884 through truss, the bridge was later widened in 1910. The bridge consists of a massive 8-panel, riveted Warren Pony Truss. This truss span is set onto concrete substructures.
The members of the trusses are abnormally large, giving this bridge its striking appearance. While the bridge was built at two times, the trusses are identical.
When the previous 1884 bridge was replaced, the original truss was reused at Bridge #Q-96 across the Root River near Houston, Minnesota. The bridge was removed in the 1980s.

The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
The angles are hard to find, as the bridge is too long to be shot from the pedestrian bridge. An attempt at this angle is seen above.

Menomonee River Railroad Bridges
Upstream UP Menomonee River Bridge (S)
Downstream CP Menomonee River Bridge

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Date Stamp
Contractor Pennsylvania Steel Company plaque
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele