This bridge is one of a pair in Fargo/Moorhead which cross the Red River of the North (Red River).
Constructed in 1913, this bridge was built to replace an aging swing bridge. This swing bridge was a through truss structure, approached by trestle.
It is presently unknown if the swing span was replaced during the 1913 rebuild, or at a later date.
The present bridge is extremely long and curved, consisting of two main through girder spans. On the Minnesota side, five deck plate girder spans approach the structure. On the North Dakota side, ten deck girder spans cross a long flood plain, and are approached by even more concrete slab spans. The bridge rests on stone, concrete and steel substructures.
The bridge is also subject of major concern. Because a few oil trains cross this bridge each day, the bridge must be in good condition.
Unfortunately, several pieces of this bridge have had corrosion, pack rust and complete loss marked. It appears that currently the railroad is monitoring the structure.
The substructures appear to be in fair to poor condition, with significant deterioration throughout the bridge.
The 10 deck girder spans on the west approach appear to be in the worst condition of any spans, with significant loss and deterioration.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the several types of structure.
The photo above is an overview, looking east. The bridge is extremely similar to the next bridge downstream, the Grand Forks Rail Bridge.
| Upstream | Fargo Rail Bridge |
| Downstream | Grand Forks Rail Bridge |