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

Chichaqua Valley Trail - South Skunk River Bridge

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Chichaqua Valley Trail - South Skunk River Bridge

(Chicago Great Western Bridge #K239.05)

This large deck plate girder bridge carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over the South Skunk River between Santiago and Valeria

Santiago, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1921 and 1928

by

American Bridge Company of New York and Unknown

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
4-70' deck plate girders and timber pile trestle

Description:
Deck plate girder bridge over South Skunk River

Significance:

Local

Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (South)

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Great Western Trail - Frink Creek Culvert (South)

(Chicago Great Western Railway Bridge #K213.32)

This small stone arch culvert carries a former Chicago Great Western Railway mainline over Frink Creek near Willow Creek Avenue on the south side of Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built c. 1900

by

Unknown

for

Chicago Great Western Railway

Design:
7' stone arch culvert

Description:
Stone arch culvert over Frink Creek

Significance:

Local

NS Des Moines River Bridge

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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

Runnells, Polk County, Iowa

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:

Local

IAIS Fourmile Creek Bridge

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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

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

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:

Local

IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (South)

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IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (South)

(Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge #Y-8)

This abandoned Pratt pony truss bridge carries a former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) branch line over Walnut Creek near Grand Avenue and 63rd Street in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Norfolk Southern Railway

Status: Abandoned

Built 1917 using a span fabricated 1897

by

Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company of North Milwaukee, Wisconsin

for

Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway

Design:
106' Pratt pony truss and timber pile trestle

Description:
Pratt pony truss bridge over Walnut Creek

Significance:

Regional

Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #2103

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Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #2103

This steel stringer bridge carries a former Chicago & North Western Railway secondary line over an unnamed creek alongside Northwest 58th Street north of Polk City

Polk City, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Polk County Conservation Board

Status: Open to Pedestrian Traffic

Built 1913

by

American Bridge Company of New York and Cleary-White Construction Company of Chicago, Illinois

for

Chicago & North Western Railway

Design:
24' steel stringer

Description:
Steel stringer bridge over unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

IAIS 8th Street Bridge

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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

Altoona, Polk County, Iowa

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:

Minimal

UP 2nd Avenue Bridge (Des Moines)

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UP 2nd Avenue Bridge (Des Moines)

(Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway Bridge #314)

This steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridge carries a former Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway line over Iowa Highway 415 (2nd Avenue) and an unnamed creek on the north side of Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Union Pacific Railroad

Status: In Use

Built 1942

by

Unknown

for

Des Moines & Central Iowa Railway

Design:
2-33' steel stringers and timber pile trestle

Description:
Steel stringer and timber pile trestle bridge over Iowa Highway 415 (2nd Avenue) and unnamed creek

Significance:

Local

IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (Ashworth Park)

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IAIS Walnut Creek Bridge (Ashworth Park)

(Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Bridge #3611)

This Warren through truss bridge once carried a Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad (Rock Island) mainline over Walnut Creek near Ashworth Park in Des Moines

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Iowa Interstate Railroad

Status: Replaced by a new bridge; West span In Use

Built 1901 and 1908

by

Unknown

for

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway and Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway

Design:
113' Warren through truss and 44' deck plate girder

Description:
Warren through truss bridge over Walnut Creek

Significance:

Moderate

UP Raccoon River Bridge (Hollingsworth Spur)

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UP Raccoon River Bridge (Hollingsworth Spur)

This deck plate girder and steel stringer bridge was constructed of spare parts to carry a Union Pacific Railroad spur over the Raccoon River at Water Works Park

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa

Owner: Union Pacific Railroad

Status: In Use

Built 1919; approaches rebuilt 2004 using spans fabricated c. 1930

by

Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company of North Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Unknown

for

Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway and Union Pacific Railroad

Design:
100' deck plate girder and seven assorted steel stringer spans

Description:
Deck plate girder and steel stringer bridge over Raccoon River

Significance:

Local