Rating:
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Dinkey Bridge
Photos
Go check out Carl's photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlwwycoff/
Photo taken by Carl Wycoff
BH Photo #221195
Description
The railroad line that crossed here was known as the "Dinkey" line to Iowa State University. This line was used to transport students, mail, and building materials between downtown Ames and the campus of Iowa State University. The Dinkey was eventually replaced by electrified interurbans used by the Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern railroad, who Would have be operating the line at the time this bridge was built. After passenger service ended, the line was used to carry coal to the Iowa State Generating Station until they switched to receiving shipments via truck. This bridge was also used to smuggle plutonium for use in the Manhattan Project out of Iowa State College (As it was then referred to.) for delivery to the military.Facts
- Overview
- Lost Steel stringer bridge over Squaw Creek on Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern Railroad (former Ames and College Railroad) in Ames
- Location
- Ames, Story County, Iowa
- Status
- Demolished
- History
- Built ca 1918, Demolished in 2010
- Railroads
- - Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern Railway (FDDM)
- Interurban
- Rail-to-trail
- Design
- Steel stringer bridge with railroad ties used as decking with a 1" spacing between ties.
- Dimensions
-
Total length: 245.0 ft.
- Also called
- UP - Dinkey Bridge
CNW - Dinkey Bridge
CNW - Squaw Creek Bridge
UP - Squaw Creek Bridge
FDDM - Dinkey Bridge
FDDM - Squaw Creek Bridge - Approximate latitude, longitude
- +42.02678, -93.62890 (decimal degrees)
42°01'36" N, 93°37'44" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 15/447937/4652940 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Ames West
- Inventory number
- BH 48843 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- October 14, 2017: New photo from Luke
- August 9, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Railroad"
- July 25, 2012: Updated by John Marvig: Added information
- April 17, 2012: New photo from Luke Harden
- April 11, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern Railroad"
- February 16, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Ames & College Railway"
- January 20, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Rail-to-trail"
- November 30, 2011: Photo imported by Luke Harden
- September 19, 2011: New photo from Luke Harden
- August 22, 2011: New photo from Luke Harden
- June 30, 2011: New photo from Luke Harden
- June 8, 2011: Updated by Luke Harden: Added photographs
- June 3, 2011: Added by Luke Harden
Related Bridges
- FDDM - Squaw Creek Bridge (Old) (Predecessor)
Sources
- Luke
- John Marvig - marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com
Comments
Dinkey Bridge
I have heard that the line was electrified in 1916. Is it possible this bridge was built the same time?
Dinkey Bridge
I wasn't sure exactly what bridge this was til I zoomed in on it on Google Earth. I used to run through the park all the time and remember walking out on this bridge and sitting on the edge and hanging my legs of the side. It was pretty scary given the bridges' height and the 1' spacing between the railroad ties. I think their safety concerns are valid but the bridge would have worked perfectly to connect the park trails on the east side of the river to the west.
PS Luke, did you graduate from ISU last year?
© Copyright 2002-18, James Baughn and contributors.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/ia/story/dinkey/
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/ia/story/dinkey/
No, as the bridge with timber bents was still extant in the great flood of 1918: http://www.amespubliclibrary.org/farwell/publication/Pub2739...