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| Name | Valley Park Railroad Bridge St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Bridge #18.2 |
| Built By | St. Louis-San Francisco Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Hedges-Weeks Construction Company of Springfield, Missouri |
| Length | 492 Feet Total, 153 Foot Spans |
| Width | 1 Track, Formerly 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Baltimore Through Truss and Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1923 |
| Traffic Count | 5 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| St. Louis–San Francisco Railway Bridge Number | 18.2 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 18.2 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 6/18/2016 |
In 1851, the Pacific Railroad of Missouri (PRM) began construction of a railroad line extending from St. Louis, Missouri to Pacific, Missouri. This would be completed in 1853. Development of railroads was often slow during the 1850s, dependent on financing. In 1856, the same railroad continued building southwest to Sullivan, which would be completed in 1858. The railroad continued building southwest in 1859, reaching Cuba, Missouri by the end of 1859 and Rolla, Missouri in 1860. Construction came to a halt during the Civil War, and the Pacific to Rolla line of the Pacific Railroad of Missouri changed its name to the Southwest Pacific Railroad, and continued building to Arlington, Missouri. Due to financial troubles, the railroad was acquired by the State of Missouri in 1867. In 1868, the railroad would be deeded to the South Pacific Railroad, who continued to build southwest to Huban, Missouri. By 1870, the railroad would reach Pierce City, Missouri. The railroad became a part of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad in 1870, and became part of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway (Frisco) in 1876. The Frisco used Missouri Pacific Railroad trackage between St. Louis and Pacific. The Frisco constructed a line to Valley Park in 1882, and completed the line to St. Louis in 1883. Portions of the line required deep cuts, large fills and tunnels, due to the Ozark Mountains in southern Missouri. The Frisco had developed an extensive network of railroad lines in the
south central United States. This line provided a critical connection
for the Frisco, allowing traffic from St. Louis to head straight south
along the Mississippi River. The Frisco would build and acquire a
respectable railroad network in the
south central United States, with significant connections through
Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. The Frisco was merged
into the Burlington Northern Railroad (BN) in 1980. BN merged with the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996 to form BNSF Railway.
BNSF currently operates the Cuba Subdivision between St. Louis and Springfield. The route continues to serve as a mainline for BNSF.
Located on the south side of Valley Park, this large through truss bridge carries the former Frisco over the Meramec River. The first bridge at this location was likely a wooden truss bridge. In 1883, an iron through truss bridge was built at this location. That bridge served until approximately 1910, when three 153-foot, 5-panel riveted Baltimore through truss spans were installed, reusing the stone substructures. In addition, a 33-foot deck plate girder span was built on the south end. The bridge would be altered in 1923, when a parallel bridge was added to the west side of the bridge, and concrete extensions constructed to the stone substructures. The trusses utilized a lattice portal, built up members and riveted connections. In approximately 1950, the eastern track was removed from the bridge, and it is unknown if the trusses were utilized elsewhere. It is also unknown if the current bridge was shifted from the east track, as no photos exist of the two bridges side by side. The current bridge is identical to the bridge when it was single track. The remaining bridge was fabricated by the American Bridge Company, and the substructures constructed by the Hedges-Weeks Construction Company. Baltimore through trusses became popular in the early 20th Century, as they provided a cost effective and strong span. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Build date | Date stamp |
| Builder (superstructure) | Missing American Bridge Company plaque |
| Builder (substructure) | Engineering and Contracting; Volume 61 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |