Railroad Bridges in Polk County, Iowa
Polk County is located in central Iowa. The seat and largest city are both Des Moines, the Capital of Iowa.
Random Bridges
RI Branch Little Fourmile Creek Culvert
RI Branch Little Fourmile Creek Culvert
This small concrete arch culvert carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) secondary line over an unnamed creek west of Altoona
Owner: Iowa Department of Transportation
Status: Abandoned
Built 1896
by
Unknown
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway
Design:
10' concrete arch culvert
Description:
Concrete arch culvert over unnamed creek
Significance:
NS Des Moines River Bridge
NS Des Moines River Bridge
This large through truss and steel stringer bridge carries a modern realignment of a former Wabash Railroad branch line over the Des Moines River alongside Iowa Highway 316 south of Runnells
Owner: Norfolk Southern Railway
Status: In Use
Built 1964
by
Unknown and L.G. Barcus Company of Kansas City, Missouri
for
Wabash Railroad and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Design:
3-188' Warren through trusses and 36-43' steel stringers
Description:
Warren through truss bridge over Des Moines River
Significance:
Des Moines Red Bridge
Des Moines Red Bridge
(Des Moines Union Railway Bridge)
This iconic through truss bridge carries the former Des Moines Union Railway mainline across the Des Moines River between Court Avenue and Vine Street in Des Moines
Owner: City of Des Moines
Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic
Built 1891, 1905 and 1945 and 2006
by
Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan; Des Moines Bridge & Iron Works of Des Moines, Iowa; Stupp Brothers Bridge & Iron Company of St. Louis, Missouri and others
for
Des Moines Union Railway
Design:
2-152' Pratt through trusses, 1-78' through plate girder, 1-68' deck plate girder, 1-25' steel stringer and 1-45' steel stringer
Description:
Pratt through truss bridge over Des Moines River
Significance:
Chicago Great Western Railway Culvert #K228.62
Chicago Great Western Railway Culvert #K228.62
This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over an unnamed creek near Northeast 62nd Avenue east of Berwick
Owner: Polk County Conservation Board
Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic
Built c. 1900
by
Unknown
for
Chicago Great Western Railway
Design:
4' stone arch culvert
Description:
Stone arch culvert over unnamed creek
Significance:
IAIS Fourmile Creek Bridge
IAIS Fourmile Creek Bridge
(Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Bridge #3531)
This deck plate girder bridge is the northern of two similar bridges carrying a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) line over Fourmile Creek on the east side of Des Moines
Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad
Status: In Use
Built 1902 and 1912
by
American Bridge Company of New York and Unknown
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway
Design:
5-44' deck plate girders
Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over Fourmile Creek
Significance:
C&NW Des Moines River Bridge
C&NW Des Moines River Bridge
(Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K219.79)
This large Pratt through truss bridge once carried a Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over the Des Moines River between Southeast 1st Street and Southeast 6th Street in Des Moines
Owner: Union Pacific Railroad
Status: Removed but not replaced
Built 1901
by
American Bridge Company of New York and Shepard, Winston & Company of St. Paul, Minnesota
for
Chicago Great Western Railway
Design:
4-180' Pratt through trusses
Description:
Pratt through truss bridge over Des Moines River
Significance:
IAIS Little Fourmile Creek Culvert (North)
IAIS Little Fourmile Creek Culvert (North)
This stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) mainline over Little Fourmile Creek near Lions Park in Altoona
Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad
Status: In Use
Built c. 1875
by
Unknown
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway
Design:
10' stone arch culvert
Description:
Stone arch culvert over Little Fourmile Creek
Significance:
IAIS 8th Street Bridge
IAIS 8th Street Bridge
(Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Bridge #3476)
This through plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) mainline over 8th Street (former US Highway 6) in Altoona
Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad
Status: In Use
Built 1955
by
Unknown and Iowa Bridge Company of Des Moines, Iowa
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad
Design:
2-64' through plate girders and 4-35' steel stringers
Description:
Through plate girder bridge over 8th Street
Significance:
IAIS Des Moines River Bridge
IAIS Des Moines River Bridge
(Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Bridge #3575)
This through plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) mainline over the Des Moines River at Vine Street in Des Moines
Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad
Status: In Use
Built 1904
by
American Bridge Company of New York; Bates & Rogers Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois and Unknown
for
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway
Design:
8-77' through plate girders
Description:
Through plate girder bridge over Des Moines River
Significance:
Chicago Great Western Railway Culvert #K226.48
Chicago Great Western Railway Culvert #K226.48
This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over an unnamed creek near Northeast 29th Street southwest of Berwick
Owner: Polk County Conservation Board
Status: Abandoned
Built c. 1900
by
Unknown
for
Chicago Great Western Railway
Design:
4' stone arch culvert
Description:
Stone arch culvert over unnamed creek
Significance: