This large deck truss bridge crosses the Straight River approximately two miles north of Owatonna, or near the ghost town of Clinton Falls.
Originally built in 1901, the bridge is located on a large sweeping curve. This large curve is a portion of track where the Union Pacific crosses both this river and a railroad.
With minimal changes since construction, the main span of the bridge consists of a massive 10 panel riveted Warren Deck Truss. It is approached by a deck girder span on either side.
For reasons unknown, this bridge has different substructures than similar bridges. It is likely that this bridge was originally constructed with stone substructures, but the piers appear to have been encased.
The largest of all bridges on the line between the Twin Cities and Des Moines, this structure crosses over the Straight River approximately 50 feet above the surface of the water.
Overall, the bridge remains in good condition. A majority of the bridge appears to be in a very good condition, surprising for former Rock Island bridges.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the rare occurrence of a Warren Deck Truss in Minnesota. Of the nine similar spans in Minnesota, five are former Soo Line Spans. A similar former Rock Island span seems to exist near Union, Missouri.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | Medford Rail Bridge |
| Downstream | DM&E Straight River Bridge |