Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | CPKC Sand Hill River Bridge |
| Built By | Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 40 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Closed Spandrel Concrete Arch |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1903 |
| Traffic Count | 5 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/24/2016 |
In 1903, the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo
Line) constructed a new 59-mile railroad line extending from the existing mainline at Glenwood, Minnesota to Otter Tail, Minnesota. In 1904, an additional 206 miles would be constructed between Otter Tail and Noyes, at the Canadian Border. At Noyes, the route connected to the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Soo Line was a smaller
railroad in the Midwest, with routes
extending through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Dakota, with
subsidiary routes extending to Chicago. It was
operated as a subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). By 1937, the
Soo Line had entered bankruptcy, and it would be
reorganized as the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad
in 1944.
By 1961, the Soo Line would be merged with other CP subsidiaries Duluth,
South Shore & Atlantic Railroad and Wisconsin Central Railroad to
form Soo Line Railroad, a company controlled by CP. In 1984, the Soo
Line would be reorganized as the Soo Line Corporation, and the railroad
would be fully merged into CP in 1990. In 2023, CP would merge with Kansas City Southern Railway to form CPKC, which currently operates the Detroit Lakes Subdivision between Glenwood and Thief River Falls, and the Noyes Subdivision between Thief River Falls and Noyes.
Located alongside US Highway 59 just south of Winger, this concrete arch bridge crosses the Sand Hill River. Originally built in 1903, the bridge features a single 40-foot concrete arch span. This concrete arch appears to be of standard design, including traditionally designed wing walls. This style of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States to cross roads and small streams, due to the ease of construction and durability. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build Date | Completion of line |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |