The line crossed across the Big Sioux a number of times, crossing between Iowa and South Dakota.
The line was merged into the Sioux City and Dakota Railroad in 1879.
By 1881, the line became a branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, also known as the Milwaukee Road.
In 1913, following an escapade to the Pacific Ocean, the railroad became known as the Chicago, Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific Railway.
Heading north out of Sioux Falls, the Milwaukee Road also operated a branch to North Dakota.
By 1981, with the Milwaukee Road falling to bankruptcy, the Dakota & Iowa (D&I) Railroad was formed as a joint coalition between Iowa and South Dakota to operate the former branch to Sioux City.
Today, D&I continues to operate the line from Sioux Falls to Sioux City, as well as the Dell Rapids branch.
06/16/22
Located in Akron, this small girder bridge crosses an unnamed drainage ditch.
Little is known about the history of this bridge. It reportedly was built in 1947, but it clearly uses relocated spans.
The main span of this bridge is exceptionally light, and features a twinned girder design. It appears that it may date to approximately 1900. The girder span is approached by a trestle span on either side, and the bridge sits on timber piers.
Spans like this were commonly used due to the ease of construction. On this route, several steel spans were moved from other locations to replace deteriorated trestles.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in poor condition, with significant timber deterioration noted. The bridge is scheduled to be replaced in 2022.
The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.