CN Camp Creek Bridge (Yetter)

Name	CN Camp Creek Bridge (Yetter) Illinois Central Railroad Bridge #WA410.4
Built By	Illinois Central Railroad
Currently Owned By	Canadian National Railway
Superstructure Contractor	American Bridge Company of New York
Substructure Contractor	Unknown
Length	90 Feet Total
Width	1 Track
Height Above Ground	20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design	Concrete
Date Built	1909
Traffic Count	2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Illinois Central Railroad Bridge Number	WA410.4
Canadian National Railway Bridge Number	410.4
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	12/30/2018

Between 1857 and 1870, the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad (D&SC) had acquired and constructed a mainline across central Iowa, extending from the Mississippi River at Dubuque, Iowa to the Missouri River at Sioux City, Iowa. The D&SC had operated under lease from the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) since 1867, and connected to the IC system by using a bridge across the Mississippi River at Dubuque. This line provided several opportunities for the construction of branch lines. By the late 19th Century, the IC desired to enter the Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska markets. In 1890, the Omaha Bridge & Terminal Railway (OB&T) began construction on a line extending between Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska. A new bridge was constructed across the Missouri River between 1893 and 1894, with the goal of breaking the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) monopoly of traffic crossing the Missouri River at Omaha. Between September 1898 and January 1900, the Fort Dodge and Omaha Railroad (FD&O) constructed a 131-mile railroad line, extending from the existing D&SC mainline at Tara, Iowa to Council Bluffs, Iowa. The FD&O and OB&T were both leased by the D&SC/IC in 1899.

By the late 19th Century, the IC had developed and operated a sprawling railroad network in the central United States. This line served as a secondary mainline for the company, connecting Chicago to the Missouri River at Omaha. In the 20th Century, the IC had become a respected railroad, connecting several major cities in the central United States. The D&SC was fully merged into the IC in 1946. In 1972, the IC merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad (GM&O) to form the Illinois Central Gulf (ICG). The bridge across the Missouri River was placed out of service in approximately 1980, although the tracks remain today. The entire IC system in Iowa, as well as the line between Dubuque and Chicago, were sold to the Chicago Central & Pacific Railroad (CC&P) in 1995. In 1988, the ICG was reorganized as the Illinois Central Railroad (IC). In 1996, the CC&P was repurchased by IC and in 1998, IC was purchased by the Canadian National Railway (CN). Today, CN operates the Omaha Subdivision between Tara and Council Bluffs.

Located east of Yetter, this deck plate girder bridge carries a former Illinois Central Railroad line over Camp Creek. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was first built. Several structures along this line were initially built as timber bridges, which allowed for approach embankments to settle without damaging more expensive permanent bridge work. Between the late 1900s and early 1930s, the approach embankments had satisfactorily settled, and the IC undertook a program to construct permanent bridges at waterway and roadway crossings. The present bridge at this location was constructed in 1909. Currently, the bridge consists of a single 90-foot deck plate girder span, set onto concrete abutments. The superstructure follows a standard design, with two heavy plate girders and an open deck. The substructure also follows a standard design, with sloped wing walls extending from the bridge at an angle. The superstructure was fabricated by American Bridge Company, while it is unclear if the substructures were constructed by railroad company forces or by an unknown contractor. Deck plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Since the initial construction, the bridge has seen no significant alterations, and remains in use. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with only minor rust and spalling noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Build date	Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Iowa Division 1973 Track Profile
Builder (superstructure)	Missing American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele

CN Camp Creek Bridge (Yetter)

Yetter, Calhoun County, Iowa