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BNSF Pomme de Terre River Bridge (South)

Deck Plate Girder Bridge over Pomme de Terre River
Appleton, Swift County, Minnesota

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name BNSF Pomme de Terre River Bridge (South)
Built By Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway
Contractor (1900 Span) Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago
Contractor (1908 Spans) Unknown
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Length 275 Feet Total, 55 Foot Main Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Deck Plate Girder and Concrete Arch
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1900, Rebuilt 1908
Traffic Count 2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
MILW Bridge Number O-246
Significance Local Significance


Located in Appleton, this deck girder bridge crosses the Pomme de Terre River.
In 1900, a single 60' deck girder span was built here. This bridge was likely set onto timber substructures. In 1908, two 50' spans and another 60' span were installed at this bridge. The 60' span was originally ordered for Musselshell River Bridge #1.
The 1900 span was originally set to be replaced, but it was determined that the 1900 span was still of sufficient condition. The excess span was then sent to Creston, South Dakota.
Currently, the bridge consists of two 50' deck plate girders, and two 60' deck plate girders, approached by a concrete arch at each end.
Standard girder bridges like this are incredibly common along railroads, especially to cross small rivers. While the route between Aberdeen and Minneapolis was double tracked between 1912 and 1914, this was one of the few bridges that was not.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good to fair condition.

The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
The photo above is an overview.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Bridge History Milwaukee Road Archives at the Milwaukee Central Library
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele