South Omaha Railroad Crossing (East)


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Name South Omaha Railroad Crossing (East)
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Bridge #19.20
Built By Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Superstructure Contractor Unknown
Length 356 Feet Total, 108 Foot Main Spans
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Baltimore Through Truss and Steel Stringer
Substructure Design Stone Masonry and Concrete
Date Built 1904
Traffic Count 10 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Bridge Number 19.20
BNSF Railway Bridge Number 19.20
Significance Regional Significance
Documentation Date 9/10/2016

In 1869, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska (BMRN) would continue constructing westwards from Pacific Junction, reaching milepost 12.  The following year, a 17 mile extension from Oreapolis, Nebraska north to Omaha would be made, and an additional 48 miles to Lincoln would be constructed from milepost 12.  A permanent bridge across the Missouri River at Plattsmouth would be completed in 1880.  Since 1880, the BMRN had been controlled by stock by the same interests that controlled the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q).  The CB&Q and associated ownership came in control or constructed a large number of lines throughout Iowa and Nebraska.  This route would serve as a piece of the planned Chicago to Denver mainline, which reached Denver in 1883.  In 1885, the Omaha and South Western Railway constructed 4 miles of new railroad from Omaha, to South Omaha.  In 1886, the Omaha and North Platte Railroad (O&NP) completed an additional 30 miles of railroad, extending from Omaha to Ashland, where it met the main line.  The 4 miles constructed in 1885 were sold to the O&NP in 1887, and the O&NP sold to the BMRN in 1887.  The BMRN was formally sold to the CB&Q in 1908, and CB&Q continued to operate these routes as parallel mainline, and a second track was added from Lincoln to Waverly in 1910, and Waverly to Ashland in 1918.  CB&Q merged with Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN).  BN merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996  to form BNSF Railway.  BNSF continues to operate the Oreapolis-Omaha-Ashland line as the Omaha Subdivision, and the Pacific Junction to Lincoln segment as the Creston Subdivision.


Located near the interchange of Interstate 80 and Interstate 480 west of downtown Omaha, this large through truss bridge once carried the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad across the Union Pacific Railroad and the Omaha Belt Railway. The first bridge at this location was constructed in 1884, and likely consisted of a light Pratt through truss bridge. In 1904, the bridge would be rebuilt with the current structure. Currently, the bridge has three 108-foot 5-panel riveted Baltimore through truss spans, set onto stone and concrete abutments and piers. The piers are not typical for railroad bridges, and instead consist of stone columns, capped by concrete. 16-foot steel stringer spans were added on each end to offset the heavy skew of the trusses. The trusses do not follow any CB&Q standard, and appear to have been specially designed for this bridge. These trusses utilize heavy members, somewhat unusual considering how short the spans are. It is currently unknown which company fabricated the bridge. The portal bracings of the bridge also are not standard for a CB&Q bridge, and instead utilize a different design. At one time, there were three railroad crossings in this area. The former Union Pacific bridge continues to exist, while a Chicago & North Western Railway bridge was removed in 1988. The railroad underneath is now operated by Union Pacific, and several of the tracks have since been removed. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being regionally significant, due to the unique design of the trusses.


Citations

Build Date Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Valuation Summary at the Newberry Library
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele

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