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| Name | BNSF Lexington Avenue Bridge |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company of North Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Length | 105 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Warren Pony Truss |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1940, Using a Span Fabricated 1907 |
| Original Location | Bridge #1A; Arkansas River Bridge; Los Animas, Colorado |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Closed to Traffic) |
| Current Status | Closed to all Traffic |
| Significance | Regional Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/27/2017 |
In 1865, the St. Louis, Lawrence and Denver Railroad (StLL&D) completed a 17 mile railroad, extending from Lawrence, Kansas to DeSoto, Kansas. In 1869, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) constructed 27 miles from Topeka, Kansas to Burlingame, Kansas; and the following year, an additional 34 miles to Emporia were completed. In 1871, the Lawrence and Topeka Railway (L&T) completed an additional 22 miles from Lawrence to Topeka, Kansas. In 1874, the StLL&D was reorganized as the St. Louis, Lawrence & Western Railroad (StLL&W). In 1875, both railroads were conveyed to the Kansas City, Topeka & Western Railroad (KCT&W). The same year, the KCT&W completed an additional 23 miles between DeSoto and the Kansas City Union Station. The KCT&W would be leased by the ATSF in 1880. The ATSF changed its name to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1895, and the KCT&W was consolidated into the ATSF in 1899. The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in Kansas and Oklahoma. This line served as one of two mainlines connecting Kansas City to Emporia. The ATSF would merge with Burlington Northern Railroad in 1996 to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line. The Holliday to Topeka to Emporia segment of this line is operated as the Topeka Subdivision.
Located on the south side of De Soto, this pony truss bridge carries an inactive industrial lead across Lexington Avenue. The bridge at this location was originally constructed in 1940 to serve a new spur to the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. When constructed, the bridge reused a 105-foot 6-panel riveted Warren pony truss span, set onto concrete substructures. The truss was originally constructed in 1907 by Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company for a two span bridge across the Arkansas River at Los Animas, Colorado. When the branch line the bridge was originally on was abandoned, the two spans were reused elsewhere. It is currently unknown where the other span was used. The Warren pony truss design was used by railroads for short to medium length spans, as it provided a durable and easy to construct design. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the history and lack of railroad Warren pony truss spans in Kansas.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company plaque |
| Relocation Information | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |