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| Name | Fort Lincoln Trolley - Heart River Bridge Northern Pacific Railway Bridge #0 |
| Built By | Northern Pacific Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Fort Lincoln Trolley |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 200 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Pratt Through Truss |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1910 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Closed to Traffic) |
| Current Status | Closed to all Traffic |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 5/13/2017 |
In 1909, the Missouri River Railway Company (MRR) would begin construction on a 53-mile new railroad line, extending from the existing Northern Pacific Railway (NP) mainline at Mandan, to a point approximately six miles south of Cannonball, North Dakota. At the same time, the Western Dakota Railway Company (WDR) would begin construction on a line extending 35 miles from Cannonball to Mott, North Dakota. Both lines would be completed in 1912, and both companies purchased by the NP in 1914. The NP utilized these two lines as branches, serving sparely populated areas in south central North Dakota. At Mott, the railroad connected to a branch line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road).
In 1966, the NP undertook a project to relocate the line between Flasher and Mandan, which would provide a savings of 27 miles. The new line would be completed in 1967, and the old line between Mandan and Flasher abandoned at that time. In 1970, NP would merge with rival Great Northern Railway and the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to form Burlington Northern Railroad
(BN). Them entire line would be abandoned in 1987. The Fort Lincoln Trolley preserved a small segment through Mandan, which is still in use by the Fort Lincoln Trolley.
Located on the south side of Mandan, this bridge carries the Fort Lincoln Trolley over the Heart River. This bridge was constructed as the Missouri River Railway built south from Mandan, and is the original bridge at this location. The bridge consists of a single 200-foot 8-panel pin connected Pratt through truss, set onto concrete abutments. The truss was fabricated by the American Bridge Company, and utilized a design supplied by the Northern Pacific. Other spans of the same size and design have been found to be fabricated by different builders. This design of bridge was commonly used by the NP and other railroads throughout the United States to cross large obstacles. Truss bridges offered larger spans, but were often more costly and difficult to construct. While the river was channelized at this location in the early 1960s, it does not appear that the bridge has been altered. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. As of 2024, the Fort Lincoln Trolley is for sale, and the future of this bridge is unknown. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the well preserved example of a truss span.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |