Bridging the Gaps

Bridging the Gaps. . , Wood to Steel, The Milwaukee Road built temporary wood trestles at all but Kelly Creek and Clear Creek. Fire danger prompted the railroad to immediately begin replacing the wooden structures with earth-filled embankments or building steel bridges inside and over them., The Milwaukee used a relatively new steel design, “deck girder bridges” with solid concrete floors. Large “I” beams on top of steel towers supported “U” shaped concrete tubs. These held a layer of rock ballast on which the ties and rails set., (sidebar) , A Better Bridge, The initial cost of the new design was greater, but maintenance was much less., Local section gangs, rather than special bridge gangs, could regularly attend the track on the trestle., The ballasted floors practically eliminated impact stress and vibration from the trains going over the trestles., The steel bridges were safer, smoother riding and more permanent., How Long? How High? , Route of the Hiawatha Trestles, Small Creek (trestle #216) – 515’ long, 120’ high , Barnes Creek (trestle #218) – 507’ long, 117’ high , Kelly Creek (trestle #220) – 850’ long, 230’ high , Turkey Creek (trestle #224) – 494’ long, 146’ high , Russell, “No Name”(trestle #226) – 281’ long, 90’ high , Bear Creek (trestle #228) – 570’ long, 155’ high