Kate Shelley High Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Kate Shelley High Bridge is among the highest double-track railroad bridges in the United States
. It is located approximately 3 miles west of the city of Boone, Iowa
.
The bridge was designed by George S. Morison for the Chicago and North Western Railway
and was constructed from 1899 to 1901. It stands 185 ft above the Des Moines River
with a length of 2,685 ft. The bridge was renamed in 1912 to honor Kate Shelley
.
, with reduced speeds of 25 mph while crossing it. Union Pacific Railroad
, current owners of the original Chicago and North Western Railway
property, constructed a new double track concrete and steel bridge next to the old span. The bridge is located on an essential east/west Union Pacific
mainline—the Overland Route--connecting Chicago
to the west coast, and it was more cost effective to build a new bridge capable of higher speeds. The current bridge and its name will apparently remain. Differing reports claim that the bridge will be used as a rails-to-trails project, pedestrian bridge, service bridge, or simply that the rails will be removed. Some even claim the bridge will be destroyed—a dangerous, unused structure such as this would pose a liability to Union Pacific as a "beautiful nuisance," despite its landmark status.
The new structure is slated to be slightly smaller than the existing bridge, at approximately 180 ft high and 2,550 ft long (tentative reports vary). Despite the reduced dimensions of the new structure, the concrete/steel crossing of the Des Moines River
near Boone
shall retain the title of the highest double-track trestle in the United States.
delayed completion by almost a year. The 2008 Iowa floods were responsible for somewhere near $7 billion in damage, so it appears logical flooding was to blame for unanticipated delays.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located approximately 3 miles west of the city of Boone, Iowa
Boone, Iowa
Boone is a city in and the county seat of Des Moines Township, Boone County, Iowa, United States. It is the principal city of the 'Boone, Iowa Micropolitan Statistical Area', which encompasses all of Boone County. This micropolitan statistical area, along with the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan...
.
The bridge was designed by George S. Morison for the Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
and was constructed from 1899 to 1901. It stands 185 ft above the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
with a length of 2,685 ft. The bridge was renamed in 1912 to honor Kate Shelley
Kate Shelley
Catherine "Kate" Shelley was a midwestern United States railroad heroine, and the first woman in the United States to have a bridge named for her. She was also one of the few women to ever have a train named after her, the Kate Shelley 400.-Background:Catherine Shelley was born in Loughaun, County...
.
New Bridge
The original double track bridge was aging and trains where subject to a slow orderSlow order
A slow order is a local speed restriction on a rail line which is set below the track's normal speed limit.Slow orders are usually imposed by railway dispatchers for sections of track that are in some way deficient, or when there is a requirement to perform maintenance on a section of railway.Slow...
, with reduced speeds of 25 mph while crossing it. Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, current owners of the original Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
property, constructed a new double track concrete and steel bridge next to the old span. The bridge is located on an essential east/west Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
mainline—the Overland Route--connecting Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to the west coast, and it was more cost effective to build a new bridge capable of higher speeds. The current bridge and its name will apparently remain. Differing reports claim that the bridge will be used as a rails-to-trails project, pedestrian bridge, service bridge, or simply that the rails will be removed. Some even claim the bridge will be destroyed—a dangerous, unused structure such as this would pose a liability to Union Pacific as a "beautiful nuisance," despite its landmark status.
The new structure is slated to be slightly smaller than the existing bridge, at approximately 180 ft high and 2,550 ft long (tentative reports vary). Despite the reduced dimensions of the new structure, the concrete/steel crossing of the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
near Boone
Boone, Iowa
Boone is a city in and the county seat of Des Moines Township, Boone County, Iowa, United States. It is the principal city of the 'Boone, Iowa Micropolitan Statistical Area', which encompasses all of Boone County. This micropolitan statistical area, along with the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan...
shall retain the title of the highest double-track trestle in the United States.
Construction Delays
As cited in several articles dated 2007, the planned completion/opening date of the new bridge was originally November or December 2008; however, various complications, including the floods of 2008Iowa flood of 2008
The Iowa flood of 2008 was a hydrological event involving most of the rivers in eastern Iowa beginning around June 8, 2008 and ending about July 1. Flooding continued on the Upper Mississippi River in the southeastern portion of the state for several more days...
delayed completion by almost a year. The 2008 Iowa floods were responsible for somewhere near $7 billion in damage, so it appears logical flooding was to blame for unanticipated delays.