Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | Trestle to Trestle Trail - Beaver Creek Bridge Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway Bridge #130 |
| Built By | Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway |
| Currently Owned By | City of Johnston |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 318 Feet Total, 36 Foot Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | c. 1960, Using Spans Fabricated c. 1910 |
| Date Removed | 2019 |
| Original Location | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge has been Replaced) |
| Current Status | Replaced by a new bridge |
| Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway Bridge Number | 130 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/1/2013; 9/29/2017 |
In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, electric interurban railways became popular throughout the United States, particularly in suburban and rural areas. In rural areas, the interurban represented a reliable form of transportation, independent of the steam railroads. In 1899, the Inter-Urban Railway (IUR) constructed a short line from downtown Des Moines, Iowa to the Highland Park area of Des Moines. In 1903, an extension opened east to Colfax, Iowa. Initially, the railroad was popular with passengers traveling between Des Moines and Colfax, and it also served some coal mines in the area. In 1906, the 34-mile Beaver Valley Division was constructed between Highland Park and Perry, Iowa; and also featured a short 3-mile branch to Woodward, Iowa. The IUR became a profitable freight interchange for larger steam railroads operating in the Des Moines area. The IUR also served Camp Dodge, a large Army installation on the north side of Johnston, Iowa. In 1922, the IUR was reorganized as the Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway (DCI).
By the mid-20th Century, transportation in the United States had changed. Automobiles had become the preferred mode of transportation, and electrified interurban railroads were quickly dying. The DCI went bankrupt in 1946, and abandoned the line to Colfax and the branch to Woodward. The railroad was sold to Murray M. Salzberg, a New York scrap dealer in 1949. Salzberg decided to dieselize the line and eliminate passenger service. The segment between Perry and Granger, Iowa was abandoned in 1952. In 1968, the DCI was purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW), which operated an extensive network of railroad lines throughout Iowa. Many sections of this line were excess for the C&NW, and retained only to serve local industries. The segment between Camp Dodge and Granger was abandoned in 1980, followed by the segment between Flint Junction and Camp Dodge in 1982. Another segment between Highland Park and NW 2nd Street in Des Moines was abandoned in 1984. In 1995, the C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP). Today, UP operates a segment on the north side of Des Moines; while the Colfax, Woodward and Perry branches have been entirely abandoned. A large section between Highland Park and Camp Dodge has been reused as a trail.
Once located immediate north of Interstates 35 and 80 in Johnston, this deck plate girder bridge carried a former Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway line over Beaver Creek. The first bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle bridge, constructed when the line was first built. It is believed this bridge remained unchanged until approximately 1959 or 1960, when Beaver Creek was straightened in conjunction with the construction of the new Interstate. At this time, it is believed that two secondhand deck plate girder spans were installed over the creek channel, giving the bridge its final configuration. The bridge consisted of two 36-foot deck plate girder spans, approached by fifteen timber pile trestle spans on the south end and three timber pile trestle spans on the north end. The entire bridge was set onto timber pile substructures. The deck girder spans were originally fabricated in approximately 1910 for use at an unknown location. It is unclear if these spans were originally built for the DCI or if they were purchased from a larger railroad. Each deck girder consisted of two extremely shallow girders and an open deck. The approach spans consisted of a standard timber pile trestle design, while the main piers used a design with two lightly constructed bents. An unknown contractor fabricated the main spans, while it is unclear if the timber components were constructed by an unknown contractor or by railroad company forces. Deck plate girder spans were popular for railroad use, as they were durable and easy to construct. Girders as shallow as the spans seen on this bridge were unusual for heavy railroad use, possibly indicating they were built for the DCI or another interurban railroad. After the railroad was abandoned, the bridge was converted to trail use and a concrete deck and railings were added to the structure. In March 2019, the bridge was destroyed by an ice jam during the historic Midwest flooding. It has since been replaced by a modern pedestrian bridge. Overall, the bridge appeared to be in fair condition at the time of removal, although the timber components were beginning to show their age. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design and unclear history.
Citations
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |