After reading the new TRAINS magazine article on p. 14 on the new Kate Sheley bridge, I had a question. Does anyone know what the new kate shelley bridge will look like? Will it be a baisic trestle like the old one? Or will it be something else, like an arch?
I don’t have a picture of the MILW bridge from which some of the girders came, but I suspect that we’ll see concrete piers with girders at the top.
(That would be a mighty bumpy road over the ties of the old bridge, hmmm?)
Found one picture of the MILW bridge under construction.
I hope somebody’s kidding…
The Trains article says the MILW bridge was built in the 1970s. With mules?
Hmmm, maybe it was REPLACED then.
…And maybe not using mules.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…[:D]
These are the best pics I could get from this side. Not much to see since I won’t pass the signs that say “Keep Out”. I’ll be going by the yard to get pics of the girders tomorrow.
Jeremy
Hello everyone, I hear that they are going to leave the other bridge standing for MoW, maybe, others say its coming down as soon as the other bridge goes up. You can find more photos of the KSHB and close ups here http://illinoisiowarailfan.freeforums.org/viewtopic.php?t=74. There are several posts about the KSHB on there.
Here’s a link that may or may not be active. I tried posting this once before. It worked and then it didn’t, stating the article was no longer available. I found it again by using google, “kate shelley bridge” and about the 3rd page of links was Mid-Iowa Newspapers - The Sky’s the Limit. It’s a short article with a picture of the new construction.
http://www.midiowanews.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=18599886&BRD=2700&PAG=461&dept_id=554432&rfi=6
If it works, you are looking east between the Kate Shelley bridge and the new construction.
Jeff
Your link didn’t work for me, but a google search for “Mid-Iowa Newspapers - The Sky’s the Limit” found the link (same as what you listed) and it works. (Go fig. – Stupid cornphewters!)
The original Milwaukee Road high bridge at Woodward/Madrid was constructed in the early 1900s during the MILW’s agressive moderizing of the Iowa Division’s original 1882 alignment. In 1972 the “new” high bridge opened as a result of the Saylorville Lake project by the federal government. The old bridge was a steel bridge much like the Kate Shelley - while the “new” was concrete piers and single track steel girders. The old bridge was taken down shortly after the new bridge opened- the old end piers are still visible in the winter months among the trees on the valley edge. The concrete piers of the “new” bridge also stand naked above the lake bottom- the girders having been removed by UP for use on the new KSHB.
You can’t even type it in manually. I’ve tried.
That one tower section, with the cross beams is just about up to the height of the present bridge. I noticed today they have started work on piers on the east side of the river.
I’ve heard a lot of rumors about the KSHB. One is that one of the tracks will be maintained for staging trains with the other track removed and a maintenance access road built on the space. Another (older) was that both tracks would be retained for staging.
The latest was that both tracks were to be removed and the bridge deck fenced off to keep people off of it. I myself look for this and the possiblity of the bridge eventually being donated to some historical entity. If they (UP) aren’t going to use it, they aren’t going to want the costs of maintenance and liability.
Jeff
WSOR 4025: My reading of the story indicates that the new bridge will be similar in appearance to the current bridge with the exception of the supporting bents with towers which replace the steel towers of the old bridge.
That comment is made from a view that a photographer might have while standing along the road on the west side and looking up. However, if the photographer were almost directly beneath the bridge, if I interpret correctly, there will be separate supporting deck-plate girders for each track which may give the appearance of two bridges sharing the same bents with towers for support. Apparently the ballast-deck would be continuous across both deck-plate supports so there would be no open space between the two tracks. I saw no description of track centers but modern practice dictates fifteen feet or more.
Thanks everyone for the help.[tup]
I hope they name the new one the same thing.
Here is a link that you all should enjoy:
http://www.hdrinc.com/Assets/documents/Publications/RailLine/june2007/KateShelley.pdf
My brother in law works for one of the contractors on the new bridge.
This sounds a little like the Trains article. Good source, though!
Welcome aboard, Crab! According to your post, you joined the forums tomorrow! (Date Line come into play here?)
Not to dig up an old thread, is the new bridge done now? I’ll be heading through the general area soon and if done, I’d like to swing by. It’s just East of Ogden, IA spanning the river next to Juneberry Rd, correct?
Yes, Dan, it’s been in use for a while now, and might be worthwhile to see a couple of trains crossing it at speed. I haven’t been there yet, but it’s just upstream from the old one, and the signs pointing to it off the highway (30) should work. (In 2008 the roads were still closed, so we didn’t get to see it.)