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OTVR Buffalo River Bridge

Steel Stringer Bridge over Buffalo River
Sabin, Clay County, Minnesota

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name OTVR Buffalo River Bridge
Built By Great Northern Railway
Contractor Unknown
Currently Owned By Otter Tail Valley Railroad
Length 215 Feet Total, 35 Foot Largest Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Steel Stringer
Substructure Type Concrete
Date Built 1945
Traffic Count 2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Significance Minimal Significance
Documentation Date August 2020


Located southeast of Sabin, this large steel stringer bridge crosses the Buffalo River along County Road 52.
Built 1945, this bridge replaced a standard pile trestle. It features seven steel stringer spans, set onto concrete substructures. Because GN often moved around bridges, it is unknown if these spans are older than 1945. No plaques could be found on the bridge.
Bridges such as this were often used as permanent solutions to trestles, as they were cheap, easy to construct and easy to maintain. Because the Buffalo River floods so often, it is likely that a larger bridge had to be constructed here. It appears changing the bridge from five to seven spans was a change order during the construction process.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration.

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

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Great Northern Railroad Bridge Records at the Minnesota Historical Society
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele