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| Name | Oak Creek Trail - North Oak Creek Bridge Union Pacific Railroad Bridge #0.54 |
| Built By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Saunders County |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 147 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Pratt Through Truss |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1908 Using a Span Fabricated c. 1895 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Trail Traffic |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 0.54 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/27/2017 |
In 1877, the Omaha and Republican Valley Railroad (O&RV) constructed
a new railroad line between Valparaiso and David City, Nebraska; a
distance of 23 miles. The line would be extended 14 miles in 1878, and
an additional 17 miles to Stromgsburg in 1879. The railroad was
reorganized as the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway in 1887, which
was sold to the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) between 1893 and 1898. UP
had constructed and acquired a large amount of lines throughout the
western United States, and was best known for completing the First
Transcontinental Railroad. UP extended the route to Central City,
Nebraska in 1908, where it connected to the main line. This route served as a secondary line for the UP, allowing traffic to bypass portions of the mainline. The route remained largely unchanged, until it was abandoned and sold in 1993. The portion between Central City and Brainard, Nebraska was sold to the Nebraska Central Railroad, while the Brainard to Valparaiso segment was abandoned and converted to a trail. Today, Nebraska Central continues to operate the Central City to Brainard segment.
Located on the west side of Valparaiso, this through truss bridge carries the Oak Creek Trail across North Oak Creek. It is believed the previous bridge at this location was a wooden truss. In 1908, a flood destroyed the previous bridge, and the current bridge would be built. The bridge consists of a single 147-foot pin-connected Pratt through truss span, set onto stone and concrete abutments. The truss was likely fabricated in approximately 1895 at an unknown location, prior to being moved here. The truss utilizes lightweight members, laced vertical members and a standard Union Pacific arched lattice portal. The Union Pacific utilized the Pratt design mainly before 1897, and for a short time after 1900. Railroads often reused steel and iron spans as a cost effective way to replace bridges. Often, when a bridge became inadequate at one location, it could feasibly be reused at another. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Build Date | Union Pacific Railroad Valuation Engineering Field Notes at the National Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |