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CN - Barker Island Bridge (N)

Marathon County, Wisconsin

Photos 

Overview

Photo taken by James Baughn in September 2012

Enlarge

BH Photo #268074

Map 

Facts 

Overview
Quadrangular lattice through truss bridge over Wisconsin River on Canadian National Railway
Location
Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built at an unknown date using secondhand spans
Builder
- Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago, Illinois
Railroads
- Canadian National Railway (CN)
- Chicago & North Western Railway (CNW)
- Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WC)
Design
Quadrangular lattice through truss, center span evidently replaced with a through girder at some point
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 158.0 ft.
Total length: 380.0 ft.
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.96369, -89.63546   (decimal degrees)
44°57'49" N, 89°38'08" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
16/292154/4982296 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Wausau West
Inventory number
BH 52313 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

Built 1888 (210)
Canadian National Railway (488)
Chicago & North Western Railway (1,303)
Girder (9,173)
Lassig Bridge & Iron Works (206)
Lattice through truss (489)
Lattice truss (522)
Marathon County, Wisconsin (32)
Open (38,181)
Owned by railroad (11,104)
Pedimented portal bracing (58)
Plate girder (6,982)
 Quadrangular lattice through truss (170)
Railroad (14,373)
Riveted (2,052)
Span length 125-175 feet (3,991)
Through girder (3,412)
Through truss (14,073)
Total length 250-500 feet (4,894)
Truss (31,259)
Wausau, Wisconsin (10)
Wisconsin (1,387)
Wisconsin Central Ltd. (89)
Wisconsin River (42)

Update Log 

  • August 24, 2014: New photos from John Marvig
  • August 15, 2014: Updated by John Marvig: Added information
  • October 7, 2013: Updated by Luke Harden: Added build date & builder
  • October 7, 2013: New photos from James Baughn
  • April 30, 2012: Added by Frank Hicks

Sources 

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Comments 

CN - Barker Island Bridge (N)
Posted April 1, 2019, by John Marvig (marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Here is a sheet for this bridge, scanned from the physical document located at the Chicago & North Western Railway Historical Society Archives. It sheds no information on the 110' truss or through girder, or the original location of the 160' truss. One note is that the bridge was built in 1911 and rebuilt in 1913, although it is unknown what was erected when.

In addition, I had been contacted by a fisherman who found the clear remains of a quadrangular truss on the river bottom next to the middle span.

CN - Barker Island Bridge (N)
Posted May 2, 2017, by John Marvig (marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com)

Thoughts on one of the left spans being moved to this location?

https://bridgehunter.com/ia/clinton/lost-nation-railroad/

CN - Barker Island Bridge (N)
Posted September 16, 2014, by John Marvig (marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com)

The 1913 date is evident of the rebuilding after the great flood of 1912, which destroyed the previous bridges on this island. The two trusses which are still seen were placed prior to this flood, although the through girder was placed in 1913.

CN Baker Stewart Island North Bridge
Posted December 9, 2013, by Anonymous

Perhaps. 1913 for the TPG and a concrete encapsulation.

CN Baker Stewart Island North Bridge
Posted December 9, 2013, by Nathan Holth (form3 [at] historicbridges [dot] org)

Plate girder span a replacement? I see a 1913 date on a pier, indicating alteration of some sort.