MCRM Baraboo River Bridge

View a page showing progress of the 2018 reconstruction

Located near North Freedom, this through plate girder bridge carries the Mid-Continent Railway Museum tracks over the Baraboo River. The first bridge at this location consisted of a wooden bridge, constructed when this spur was first built in 1903-04. This bridge consisted of a 72-foot wooden Howe pony truss span, approached by timber pile trestle spans and set onto timber pile substructures. In 1929, the original main span was replaced by a new through plate girder span, retaining the timber piers and approaches. The spur and bridge were acquired by the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in 1963. In 1977, the north pier was reconstructed with a new concrete pier. During the reconstruction, part of the bridge collapsed, injuring two workers. The bridge remained unchanged until 2008, when a flood damaged the bridge and rendered it unusable. After years of fundraising, the bridge was rebuilt with a new concrete south pier, concrete abutments and steel stringer approaches in 2018. Currently, the bridge consists of an 84-foot through plate girder span, approached by a modern 45-foot steel stringer span on either end. The through girder uses a standard design, with heavy girders, a traditionally composed floor and rounded and tapered girder ends. The approaches each use four beams. American Bridge Company fabricated the main span. The north pier was constructed by Edward Kraemer & Sons, while the south pier and abutments were constructed by the J.F. Brennan Company. Through plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. Since the recent reconstruction, the bridge has remained in use, allowing the museum to access the outside railroad network. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.