Crossing the Minnesota River at Morton, this large through truss bridge is an antique landmark to the town.
Built in 1896, the bridge consists of a main 6-panel, pin connected Pratt Through Truss. This truss span features an A-frame portal, although a lighter version than what became commonplace on post-1910 bridges.
This truss span rests on a stone abutment, and timber piles. The masonry on the abutment isn't a cut stone design, but is instead rubble granite, possibly cut from the area.
Trusses like this are becoming more rare along American railroads. While a span of this length once required a large truss, it can now be completed with a girder.
Historic photo of the bridge
Rehabilitation work is planned to bring the route to Hanley Falls back to service in the near future. The future is clouded for this bridge, which may see significant upgrades.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition. The truss portion of the structure shows little sign of deterioration, while the timber portions of the bridge appear to be in poor condition.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream (Main Channel) | Granite Falls Rail Bridge (South) |
| Upstream (Overflow Channel) | Granite Falls Rail Bridge (North) |
| Downstream | M&StL Minnesota River Bridge (New Ulm) |