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| Name | Southwind Rail Trail - Elm Creek Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #110B |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks |
| Superstructure Contractor | Union Bridge Company of Athens, Pennsylvania (Outside Trusses) Unknown (Inside Trusses and Deck Girders) |
| Length | 229 Feet Total, 164 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Double Barreled Pratt Through Truss and Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1890 (Inner Trusses) and 1900 (Deck Girders), Strengthened 1921 |
| Date Fabricated (Outer Trusses) | 1898 |
| Original Location (Outer Trusses) | Bridge #533A; Purgatoire River Bridge; Arkansas River Division |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Trail Traffic |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 110B |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 110.6 |
| Significance | High Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/3/2017 |
In 1867, the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad (LL&G) began construction on a 143 mile railroad, extending from Lawrence to Coffeyville, Kansas. The new line would be completed in 1871. The railroad would be reorganized as the Lawrence & Galveston Railroad in 1878, and again reorganized as the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Railroad (KCL&S) in 1879. The KCL&S would be merged into the Southern Kansas Railway in 1883. The Southern Kansas Railway would be leased by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1899, and entirely consumed by the ATSF in 1901. The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number
of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in
Kansas and Oklahoma. This line initially served as a mainline, connecting the main lines at Lawrence, Ottawa and Chanute with various branch lines. The segment between Lawrence and Baldwin would be abandoned in 1968, and the Ottawa to Baldwin segment sold to the Midland Railway in 1988. The Ottawa to Humboldt segment would be abandoned in 1990, and acquired for trail use. The Humboldt to Coffeyville segment would be sold to the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad in 1990. Today, SKOL continues to operate the southern portion of this line, while the Ottawa to Humboldt segment has become part of the Prairie Spirit Rail Trail. The Midland Railway was a tourist railroad, which ceased operations in 2023. It is currently unknown what the future holds for the Ottawa to Baldwin segment of this line.
Located on the south side of Iola, this unique through truss bridge carries the Southwind Rail Trail over Elm Creek. The bridge was originally constructed in 1890, and initially featured a 164-foot 8-panel pin connected Pratt through truss span, with an arched lattice portal. In 1900, a pair of 60-foot "class A" deck plate girder spans would be added to the north end, and a new stone pier and abutment constructed. By 1921, the truss span had become too light for traffic. In response, a nearly identical truss span was removed from Bridge #533A across the Purgatoire River in Colorado, and the truss lines installed on the outside of the existing truss. The Purgatoire River bridge was originally fabricated in 1898 by Union Bridge Company. Reusing trusses and girders was a common way for railroads to save money while strengthening bridges. Often, pieces could be combined to form a stronger span. The truss span utilizes a standard design for an early-1890s ATSF bridge, including arched lattice bracings and lightweight members. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted to the bridge. The author has ranked this bridge as being highly significant, due to the unique truss design, age and reuse.
Citations
| Build dates and relocation history | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Builder (outside trusses) | Missing Union Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |