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UP Vermiliion River Bridge (Wamego)

Through Plate Girder Bridge over Vermillion River
Wamego, Shawnee County, Kansas

Click the Photo Above to See All Photos of This Bridge!
Name UP Vermiliion River Bridge (Wamego)
Built By Union Pacific Railroad
Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Length 400 Feet Total, 90 Foot Main Spans
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Type Through Plate Girder and Steel Stringer
Substructure Type Concrete and Steel Pile
Date Built 1948, Reusing a 1926 Span
Traffic Count 3 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
UP Bridge Number 100.87
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date December 2019


Located along US Highway 24 between Belvue and Wamego, this large girder bridge crosses the Vermillion River.
The original bridge across the Vermillion River was slightly to the east, and consisted of a Quadrangular Through Truss. After many floods, this new channel was built in 1948, requiring the present bridge.
Currently, the bridge consists of three large through girder spans, approached by a slightly smaller through girder to the east and three steel stringer spans to the west. The bridge rests on concrete and steel pile piers.
The eastern span is actually older than the rest of the bridge, having been built in 1926. It seems likely that this span was built at another location, and later moved here.
The old bridge survived until at least the 1970s, when it was filled in and replaced by a pipe style culvert.
Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted.

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

Citations

Source Type

Source

Build Date Plaques
Contractor Plaques
Railroad Line History Source ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele