One of the major river crossings on the Green Bay & Western Lines was over the Wisconsin River.  The Green Bay & Lake Pepin chose Grand Rapids (renamed Wisconsin Rapids in 1920) on the east bank of the river as the location for their crossing.

Grand Rapids developed into the division point between the New London Division to the east and the Merrillan Division to the west, and a small yard and engine house were built here.  The bridge was replaced in the 1980s by a deck plate girder bridge which allowed more vertical clearance for double-stack container cars coming from the Burlington Northern in East Winona.

Related information:

• Ice Jam (ca. 1906)

  Ice jam in the Wisconsin River at the Green Bay & Western bridge.

• Wisconsin River Crossing (1907)

  A four span through truss crosses the Wisconsin River at Wisconsin Rapids.

• Wisconsin Rapids Aerial (ca. 1970)

  An aerial view of Wisconsin Rapids shows the Green Bay & Western's bridge over the Wisconsin River.

• Farewell Excursion (1993)
  Showing the modern bridge at this location.