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| Name | Osage Cuetas Trail - Verdigris River Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #145A |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Sunflower Rail-Trails Conservancy |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 293 Feet Total, 173 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Pratt Through Truss and Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry |
| Date Built | 1900 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned) |
| Current Status | Abandoned, Awaiting Future Trail Development |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 145A |
| South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad Bridge Number | 145.4 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/3/2017 |
In 1871, the Southern Kansas Railroad (SK) would construct a new railroad, extending 10 miles from Cherryvale, Kansas to Independence, Kansas. In 1879, the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company (SK&W) began constructing an additional 138 miles from Independence to Harper, Kansas. This route would be completed in 1880. Both railroads were consolidated into the Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Kansas Railroad in 1879, which would be consolidated into the Southern Kansas Railway in 1883. In 1885, the Chicago, Kansas & Western Railroad would construct an additional 43 mile connection, between Chanute, Kansas and Longton, Kansas. 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 was utilized as a secondary mainline, connecting a number of ATSF mainlines in Southern Kansas. The line between Longton and Independence would be abandoned in 1968. The Chanute to Wellington segment would be sold to the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) in 1990. In 2000, the Chanute to Fredonia segment would be abandoned, and purchased for future trail use. In approximately 2002, the segment between Oxford, Kansas and Wellington was abandoned. The remainder of the line continues to be operated by SKOL, serving mainly agricultural traffic. As of 2024, work is underway to convert the 19-mile Chanute to Fredonia segment to the Osage Cuestas Trail.
Located west of Benedict, this truss bridge will one day carry the Osage Cuetas Trail across the Verdigris River. Built in 1900, the bridge consists of a 173-foot, 7-panel pin-connected Pratt through truss span, approached by a 60-foot "class B" deck plate girder span on either end. The entire bridge is set onto stone substructures. The truss span utilizes a standard Santa Fe design, with a double intersection lattice portal bracing, subdivided heel bracings and lightly laced members. This particular truss design was used between approximately 1898 and approximately 1905. Numerous examples of this particular standard design can be found throughout Kansas. The Pratt design of truss bridge was popular, as it was durable, easy to design and construct, and economical. The bridge currently is abandoned, and there is no timeline for developing the Osage Cuetas Trail across this bridge. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, and should be capable of holding pedestrian traffic. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Build date | 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 |