UP Bridge #130.05

Butterfield, Watonwan County, Minnesota

Default pic
West abutment
Overview
Overview
East abutment
Under bridge

Click the photo to view the full-size version

Default Pic
West abutment
Overview
Overview
East abutment
Under bridge
1/6
Date Taken:
Author:
Caption:
Name UP Bridge #130.05
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #547
Built By Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Unknown
Length 30 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design Stone Masonry
Date Built 1902
Traffic Count 5 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number 547
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 6/9/2017
In 1865, the Minnesota Valley Railway Company began construction on a new railroad line between Mendota, Minnesota and St. James, Minnesota. The first 22 miles would be completed between Mendota and Merriam Junction in 1865, followed by 17 more miles to Belle Plaine in 1866, 16 additional miles to Le Sueur in 1867, 12 additional miles to Kasota in 1868, and 22 additional miles to Lake Crystal, Minnesota in 1869. Also in 1869, the Minnesota Valley would complete 5 additional miles from Mendota to St. Paul. In 1870, the Minnesota Valley would be purchased by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC). 22 additional miles to St. James would be completed in 1870. The StP&SC completed 58 more miles from St. James to Worthington, Minnesota in 1871; and 64 additional miles to Le Mars, Iowa were completed in 1872. At Le Mars, the route connected to an existing railroad, over which the StP&SC used trackage rights to reach Sioux City.
In 1881, the StP&SC would be sold to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (CStPM&O), also known as the Omaha Road. The Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) the next year. This route became the main line of the Western District of the Omaha Road. The Omaha Road would formally be merged into the C&NW in 1959. The C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific in 1995, which still operates the St. James to Le Mars segment as the Worthington Subdivision. The line continues to carry steady traffic.

Located west of Butterfield, this deck plate girder bridge crosses an unnamed creek. Built in 1902 to replace a trestle, the bridge consists of a single 30-foot deck plate girder span, set onto stone abutments. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The 30-foot size was used at numerous locations along this route, as it was a standard design. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some deterioration noted throughout the stone. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Citations

Builder and build date Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway Valuation Engineering Field Notes at the National Archives
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele