Atchison Railroad Bridge

Located in Atchison, this large through truss swing bridge carries an out of service railroad line across the Missouri River, upstream from US Highway 59. The first bridge at this location was constructed in 1875, as Atchison developed as a railroad hub. Atchison is situated on the Missouri River, and the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad was constructed westwards from the town in the late 1850s. By 1873, the Atchison & Eastern Bridge Company received permission to construct a swing bridge across the Missouri River, connecting to Winthrop, Missouri, and a bridge was completed in 1875. The original bridge utilized a 364-foot swing span, and three 260-foot Whipple through truss spans, fabricated by the American Bridge Company of Chicago. The bridge lasted until the late 1890s, when it was desired to replace the structure with a heavier bridge.

The Atchison & Eastern Bridge Company sought notable bridge engineer George S. Morison to design the replacement bridge. The new bridge would be the last bridge project of Morison's career. Work began on the bridge in 1900, with American Bridge Company supplying the steel for the new bridge. The new bridge utilized a 361-foot pin-connected Pratt through truss swing span, approached by three 255-foot 9-panel pin-connected Pratt through truss spans on the east end. The new bridge also utilized a 48-foot deck plate girder span on the west end, and the stone abutments and piers from the previous bridge were reused. The swing span utilized two 6-panel halves, connected over a center pivot pier. The portal bracings on the swing span are a solid beam, while a lattice style is used on the approaches. The spans were manufacturers at the Lassig Plant of the American Bridge Company. The bridge was altered in 1915, when the west approach was replaced by a 40-foot and a 30-foot deck plate girder span, set onto new concrete substructures. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no major deterioration noted. The bridge is currently out of service, and may never be returned to railroad service. The line to Winthrop has been heavily damaged by flooding and washouts. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the truss design and example of a swing span.