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New Cambria Rail Bridge

Quadrangular Through Truss Bridge over Saline River
New Cambria, Saline County, Kansas

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name New Cambria Rail Bridge
Built By Union Pacific Railroad
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Length 138 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Quadrangular Through Truss
Substructure Type Stone Masonry
Date Built Ca. 1902
Traffic Count 3 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
UP Bridge Number 181.12
Significance Moderate Significance
Documentation Date October 2017


This single span Quadrangular Through Truss bridge crosses the Saline River near the whistle stop of New Cambria.
The bridge features a single span with riveted connections.
While similar to other trusses on this line, this design of truss is relatively rare in Kansas and Missouri.
Built in approximately 1902, the bridge has had little alteration since construction. The one alteration is the replacement of the original portal bracings to be able to accommodate larger trains.
The bridge rests on stone substructures, and is easy to access from the parallel road.
The bridge remains in great condition and is well maintained, although is not part of the busiest mainline across Kansas.

The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the low number of Quadrangular Trusses in the region.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge can be accessed from a parallel road.

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Estimated based on identical spans
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele