UP Fish Creek Bridge (North)

Blair, Washington County, Nebraska

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Overview
Looking west
East abutment
East pier
Center span
West pier
West span
West abutment
Overview
East span
Overview
Overview

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Default Pic
Overview
Looking west
East abutment
East pier
Center span
West pier
West span
West abutment
Overview
East span
Overview
Overview
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Caption:
Name UP Fish Creek Bridge (North)
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #S-73
Built By Chicago & North Western Railway
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor Unknown
Length 255 Feet Total, 85 Foot Spans
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design Stone Masonry
Date Built 1904
Traffic Count 30 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number S-73
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number 340.83
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 10/16/2015

In 1867, the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad (CR&MR) completed 6 miles of new railroad, extending from Missouri Valley, Iowa to California Junction, Iowa.  The new line was promptly purchased by the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad (SC&P).  In 1869, the SC&P would complete 32 miles of new railroad to Fremont, Nebraska.  A bridge across the Missouri River at Blair, Nebraska would be completed in 1883.  The SC&P would remain independent, until it was purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1901.  The C&NW had constructed and acquired a large number of railroad lines throughout the midwest.  This line provided a critical connection between the Chicago-Omaha mainline at Missouri Valley, and the Nebraska Division lines at Fremont.  In 1995, the C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad.  This line now serves as the Blair Subdivision, and is a critical connection between the Union Pacific network at Fremont and the mainline at Missouri Valley.

Located in Blair, this deck plate girder bridge is the northern of three crossings of Fish Creek. The previous bridge at this location was likely a trestle. In 1904, the bridge would be reconstructed with the present bridge. Currently, the bridge consists of three standard 85-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto stone piers and abutments. It is currently unknown which company fabricated the bridge. 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 to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Citations

Build Date Chicago & North Western Valuation Notes at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele