| A CN container train crosses the unique double decked Oliver Bridge as it heads west via former DM&IR rails at Oliver, WI on 26 Jun. '16. Train had four locomotives, CN 2831 and CN 8024 pulling and CN 2252 and CN 2309 pushing. The Oliver Bridge is a double-deck, Warren truss, swing bridge built by the American Bridge Co. in 1910. It was built to connect the Spirit Lake Transfer Railway in MN to the Interstate Transfer Railway in WI, both became part of the DM&N. The bridge was named in honor of Henry W. Oliver, founder the Oliver Mining Co. It is 1,889’ long, 25’ wide, with a 306’ swing span (partially visible at left). Due to the intent to span a navigable interstate waterway, the plans needed the approval of the War Dept. and Congress. The War Dept. required a movable span to enable river traffic. Congress required the accommodation of vehicular traffic. The railroads initially ignored the requirement to accommodate vehicular traffic; while most of the lower deck was built with the rest of the bridge in ‘10, the decking for the roadway was not installed and the approaches to connect roads to the bridge were not built. They ultimately conceded in ‘16 and the lower deck opened to traffic in ‘17. The roadway decking consisted of wooden planks until the timbers were replaced with concrete in 2001. The upper deck was built to be double tracked, but it is uncertain if it ever was. Some references are positive that it was double tracked, but one set was removed at some unknown point. Other references are sure that the second set of tracks were intended for an interurban line which ultimately never crossed the bridge, so that second set was never laid. Several references claim the bridge never operated as swing bridge, but there is plenty of information on the internet (if you extend your search beyond Wikipedia) to confirm that it did indeed function as such from when it was built until ca. ‘47. From about 1890 until at least 1942, excursion boats made frequent runs from Duluth to Fond du Lac, MN to carry passengers for day trips, weekend outings, and vacations. The Clow & Nicholson Transportation Co. was the prominent excursion line, from at least 1902 to 1942 their steamers Plowboy, Newsboy, Rotarian, Columbia, and Montauk (possibly others) made the 19 mile trip up river. A Minn. DoT bridge report also states that the DM&N, later DM&IR, had a bridge tender on duty continuously, in accordance with navigation laws, until 1953. That is when they received permission to stop manning the bridge due to the decline of river traffic, but they were required to maintain the ability to open the bridge on 3 hours’ notice if a ship needed to pass. The swing mechanism was disabled at some point. |