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| Name | Red Jacket Trestle Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #Q-1476 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Blue Earth County |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Substructure Contractor | Oleson & Anderson of Albert Lea, Minnesota |
| Length | 465 Feet Total, 90 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 80 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder, Timber Pile Trestle and Timber Beam |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry, Concrete and Timber pile |
| Date Built | 1900, Roadway Span Rebuilt 1997; West Pier Rebuilt 2011 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Open to Pedestrian Traffic) |
| Current Status | Open to trail traffic |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | Q-1476 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/27/2011; 6/10/2012; 10/25/2013 |
In 1869, a route would be surveyed between Mankato, Minnesota and the Iowa border by the Southern Minnesota Railroad. Construction on the route would begin in 1870, but would cease due to lack of funds in 1871. In 1874, work resumed and 40 miles would be completed to Wells, Minnesota. The company was purchased by the Southern Minnesota Railway in 1879, which was in turn purchased by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway in 1880. Known as the Milwaukee Road, the railroad was beginning to amass a large collection of lines throughout Minnesota.
The Milwaukee Road operated this route as a secondary route, connecting
cities and other lines in Southern Minnesota to Mankato. The
Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the
costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company
declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul
and Pacific Railroad in 1928. As the Milwaukee Road continued to face
financial turmoil, branch lines began to see deteriorated conditions.
By 1980, the Milwaukee Road was looking to reduce its trackage, and it
abandoned this line between Minnesota Lake and Mankato. Groups sought to purchase the route for trail use, which was partially successful. Portions of the line would be converted to the Red Jacket Trail, while others would be abandoned and revert to adjacent landowners. By 1985, a suitor for the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo
Line Railroad, controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the
Milwaukee Road in 1986. In 2023, CP merged with Kansas City Southern
Railway to form CPKC, the current operator of the Wells to Minnesota Lake segment.
Located between Rapidan and Mankato, this large deck plate girder bridge carries the namesake Red Jacket Trail across the Le Sueur River. The first bridge at this location consisted of two covered timber Howe deck truss spans, set onto large stone piers and approached by timber pile trestle spans on either end. The bridge was constructed by Oleson & Anderson, a local contractor which had the contract for all aspects of construction of this line. In 1883, the covered deck trusses were replaced by two 90-foot iron deck girder spans, supported by iron bents set onto the original stone piers. In 1900, the bridge would again be reconstructed with the current girder spans.
As part of the reconstruction, the lighter iron girder spans would be replaced with a pair of 90-foot Type "A4" girder spans, which were set onto the existing substructures. Instead of replacing the iron bents, they would be encased in concrete at this time. In the early 20th Century, a secondhand 43-foot deck plate girder span would be installed to cross the roadway west of the girders, and the remainder of the bridge continued to use timber pile trestle spans. An unknown contractor fabricated the 90-foot spans, and it is believed that the concrete additions were completed by railroad company forces. Little is known about the history of the 43-foot span. It likely was reused from another location, and may have been fabricated in the 1890s. Deck plate girder spans were commonly used for railroad bridges, as they were durable and easy to construct. Timber pile trestles were popular for approaches to these bridges, as they were inexpensive.
As part of the replacement of the original concrete arch highway bridge, the 43-foot span over Minnesota Highway 66 (now County Road 1) would be replaced by a timber beam span in 1997. In 2010, a flash flood caused the stone portion of the west pier of the bridge to fail. In response, the western girder span of the bridge was lifted off the piers, and a new pier was constructed in 2011. The new pier utilizes a faux stone design to replicate the original pier. The remaining piers were also rehabilitated to match the appearance of the new west pier. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition. General repairs were made to the bridge in 2011, including stabilization and repairs to the remaining piers. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the large size of the girders and iconic status of the bridge.
Citations
| Build date | Milwaukee Road Archives Drawing Collection at the Milwaukee Public Library |
| Builder (substructure) | The Freeborn County Standard; July 2, 1874 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |