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| Name | BNSF Noix Creek Bridge Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Bridge #93.75 |
| Built By | Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 200 Feet Total, 80 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1902 |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Bridge Number | 93.75 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 93.75 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 6/16/2016 |
In 1856, the Keokuk, Mount Pleasant and Muscatine Railroad (KMP&M) began construction on 16 miles of new railroad, extending from Keokuk, Iowa to Viele, Iowa. The railroad would be complete in 1858. The same year, the Iowa Southern Railroad (IS) completed an additional 8 miles from Viele to Fort Madison, Iowa. In 1867, the two railroads were merged into the Keokuk & St. Paul Railway (K&StP). In 1868, the K&StP began construction on an additional 18 miles from Fort Madison to Burlington, Iowa. At the same time, the Mississippi Valley and Western Railway (MV&W) began construction on a 34 mile line, extending from West Quincy, Missouri to Buena Vista, Missouri. Work was completed in 1872, and an additional 13 miles to Hannibal, Missouri were constructed at that time. Work continued south from Hannibal, and the St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern Railroad (StLK&NW) completed the line to Louisiana, Missouri in 1875. An additional 54 miles from Louisiana to St. Peters, Missouri were completed in 1879. A bridge across the Des Moines River into Keokuk was completed in 1882. An additional 48 miles from St. Louis to Cuivre Junction were completed in 1894 by the StLK&NW.
Both the K&StP and StLK&NW were affiliated with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q). The two railroads were formally merged into the CB&Q in 1901, as the CB&Q consolidated numerous subsidiary companies. The CB&Q had acquired and constructed a large railroad network
throughout the Midwest. This route served as a principal north-south mainline for the CB&Q, connecting the mainlines at Burlington and West Quincy with St. Louis CB&Q merged
with Northern
Pacific Railway and
Great Northern Railway to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN) in
1970. In 1996, BN merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line. Today, the line is operated as the Hannibal Subdivision.
Located along Missouri Highway 79 in Louisiana, this deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy over Noix Creek. The previous bridge at this location was a 105-foot timber Howe truss span, constructed in 1890 by the Wells & French Company of Chicago. In 1902, the bridge would be reconstructed with the present bridge. The bridge consists of one 80-foot and two 60-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete substructures. The girders were fabricated by the American Bridge Company of New York, which fabricated many spans for the CB&Q. The girders use a standard design for the late 1890s and early 1900s, and are set onto a skew. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Bridge records from the 1920s suggest that the bridge may have originally consisted of one 60-foot deck plate girder, but it is unknown why the concrete substructures appear to date from 1902. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |