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| Name | NS Crooked River Bridge Wabash Railroad Bridge #551 |
| Built By | Wabash Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Norfolk Southern Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan |
| Length | 530 Feet Total, 75 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder and Concrete Modular Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Steel Pile |
| Date Built | Fabricated 1892, Relocated Here 1907; Approaches Reconstructed 2007 |
| Original Location | Decatur Division Bridge #1141; Custer Park, Illinois |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Wabash Railroad Bridge Number | 551 |
| Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge Number | 231.02 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/26/2017 |
In 1851, the North Missouri Railroad began building a line from St. Louis, Missouri to Moberly, Missouri. The line reached the Missouri River opposite St. Charles in 1855, and reached Macon, Missouri in 1859. During the American Civil War, work on the railroad was halted. Work continued north in 1865, and a new line was constructed west starting in 1866. By the end of 1867, a new line had been constructed from Moberly, Missouri to Brunswick, Missouri; with the line reaching the Kansas City suburb of Birmingham, Missouri by the end of 1868. An iron bridge across the Missouri River was completed in 1871. In 1872, the railroad became part of the St. Louis, Kansas City and Northern Railway (StLKC&N). This railroad became part of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad in 1879. Known as the Wabash, this railroad had amassed a sizable collection of railroad lines throughout Missouri, Illinois and Iowa. The railroad was broken apart during the 1880s, and this line became part of the Wabash Western Railway, which was consolidated to form the Wabash Railway in 1889. The railroad was reorganized as the Wabash Railroad in 1915. By this time, the lines from the original Wabash had been re-consolidated, and the size of the network expanded.
This route served as a mainline for the Wabash, connecting St. Louis to Kansas City. A number of branch lines connected to the route. The Wabash was controlled by the Pennsylvania from 1931 through the early 1960s. In 1964, the railroad was acquired by the Norfolk & Western Railway, which operated a sizable network of railroads in the eastern United States. In 1982, the N&W was merged with the Southern Railway to form Norfolk Southern Railway, the current owner of this line. The line between St. Louis and Moberly is known as the St. Louis District, and the line from Moberly to Kansas City is known as the Kansas City District. This route continues to serve as a mainline, and the main NS line through Missouri.
Located west of Hardin, this bridge carries the former Wabash Railroad across the Crooked River. The previous bridge at this location was a timber truss bridge. In 1907, the bridge would be reconstructed with two secondhand 75-foot through plate girder spans, reused from Decatur Division Bridge #1141, a two span deck plate girder span over Forked Creek. The girder spans were initially fabricated in 1892 by Detroit Bridge & Iron Works. Upon installation at the current location, the girders were extensively rebuilt and converted from deck to through girder spans. The girders were set onto concrete piers, and approached by timber pile trestle spans on both sides. The original trestle spans were extended in 1953, and replaced by concrete modular girder spans in 2007. Railroads often reused steel and iron spans, as it was a cost effective way to save on bridge costs. Typically, when a span was no longer adequate for one location, it could feasibly be rebuilt and reused at another location. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The girder spans were strengthened in 2007, and the caps of the steel pile piers have begun to crack. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build dates and relocation history | Wabash Railroad Historical Society Archives |
| Builder | Missing Detroit Bridge & Iron Works plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |