These are notes that I am writing to help me learn our industrial history. They are my best understanding, but that does not mean they are a correct understanding.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
1909 UP/C&NW Clinton, IA, RR Bridge over a Flooded Mississippi
There were 41 comments on this photo. Most talk about having to help with sandbagging. Some mentioned that everyone had to get a typhoid shot.
The bridge survived this flood, but it is to be replaced in 2018. "Plan is to raise the current grade so the new bridge won't need a moveable span to accommodate barge traffic." (Bridge Hunter) A raised grade should keep it well above flood level as well.
Phillip Petersen:I would think that train traffic was halted, but I don't know for sure. It didn't stop things in 93, 97, or 03.
Update: Ted Gregory posted four photos with the comment: "Last days for this. Got to be circa 1880's?"
Jeff Lewis1909. It was C&NW's second crossing. The first bridge was just to the south. You can still see the remaining piers on Google Earth. The reason it's being replaced is because the Army Corp of Engineers want all the swing spans removed from the upper Mississippi. BNSF replaced their Burlington swing span with a lift bridge. I thought UP might do the same but they want to build a full clearance structure instead. Got to hand it to UP, they don't think small.
Dennis DeBrulerI assume UP has to clear only barge traffic rather than ocean going ships like the Huey P Long Bridges at the southern end of the Mississippi. Still, that is going to take some long approaches.
Jeff LewisProbably no more than 50 to 60 foot clearance for the tugs Dennis. I haven't been able to find any plans or site maps for the new bridge, but I'm guessing the new structure will be north of the current bridge.
In a personal message, Ted confirmed the river was in a flood stage. The flood plains were covered, but the river was contained. So they had enough land reserved for flood plains that this flood did not cause unexpected harm. (He said a water park built in the flood plain was under water. But they probably planned on hosing down the place every once in a while to get cheap land and a nice view of the river.)
1 of 3 photos posted by Lisa Jane Jones We saw our first Barge through the Clinton RR Bridge this afternoon. I have one very happy 11 year old child now 😁 [I presume the first after the 2024 Winter shutdown of the Upper Mississippi.]
Jerry Jackson posted two photos with the comment: "I caught this one while waiting to shoot UP 3985 at Clinton, IA in 2003 or so. I shot a Super8 movie when it eventually came, but the movie has been lost. The old post card was picked up through eBay."
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Bruce Blackadar shared A UP WB crossing the Mississippi River Bridge, shot from the Iowa side. Clinton, IA, 12/4/07.
John Harker posted Bob Eisthen captured this C&NW west bound piggy-back train crossing the Mississippi River into Clinton, Iowa. SD40-2s 6859 and 6900 were handling this train. I scanned and edited this image from an original Kodak Kodachrome slide.
John Harker posted Here was a C&NW west bound freight coming across the Mississippi River bridge into Clinton, Iowa in October 1984. SD40-2s 6848 and a 6900 series were the power for this train. I scanned and edited this image from an original slide by Brian Matsumoto.
Jim Matuska posted CNW 8514 - Clinton Iowa Peter Munro shared
Rex Morelock: Westbound , west end of bridge.
Tim Border: Classic view! Coal train off the Clinton Bridge with GE Dash 8-40C
Christine Fox Vilmont shared, cropped
I remember this flood very well. Janet ScottMy Dad was a road engineer for the Milwaukee out of Savanna at this time. Mom told us that he had to just keep going until they found a bridge they could cross the Mississippi.
Su Mahoney commented on Christine's post
[It looks like the bridge did not get replaced in 2018. This is the Flood of 2019.]
Not too far from it now😥 this was Monday. [April 8, 2019] David Petersen Close now [April 12, 2019]
William Spickard commented on a post, cropped One I took some years ago on the Mississippi at Clinton ,Iowa. [Note that the span is swinging open.]
Although Autumn colors have not shown up fully, you can tell it's in the air. UP 2575 takes a stack train across the Mississippi yesterday evening (10-12-19) in Clinton as seen from 125 feet up. Winds that were gusting to 39 mph did make for a bit of a chill in the air.
Jerry Jackson commented on Ken's post Ken Schmidt That concrete pestle in your photo raises a curiosity. At another major bridge on CNW, they had octagonal shaped "shacks" made of concrete. I was told they were for Army guards that were posted to protect the bridges against sabotage. Perhaps the Clinton bridge at one time had the same thing? Jerry Jackson I stood on and filmed westbound 3885 from that concrete pad back in the early '90s. A video that I somehow managed to lose over time. I have no idea what the pad was originally for or where that video went...
Steven J. Brown posted
Union Pacific 3985 crossing the Mississippi River at Clinton, Iowa - June 18, 2002.
(new window) Skip to 7:16 for the Twilight riverboat playing its steam calliope as it passes. And it is really plowing water (i.e. going rather fast).
(new window) The curved rails are not lubricated very well. When I saw that the UP train was all trailers and no containers, I checked the date. It is indeed an older video --- 1997.
Andrew Motley posted two photos with the comment: "Swing bridge! Union Pacific is planning on tearing it down! I unfortunately missed both opportunities to watch it open!"
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Erik Elwell posted eight photos with the comment: "A year working at the Mississippi River bridge Uprr."
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Jan Danielsen posted David L. Fields NB Pool 14 Clinton, Iowa.
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