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| Name | Chamberlain Railroad Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #W-4S |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Ringneck & Western Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 4794 Feet Total, 370 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 80 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Camelback Through Truss, Warren Deck Truss and Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1953 |
| Traffic Count | 1 Train/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | W-4S |
| Significance | Regional Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/14/2017 |
With the opening to Native American Lands to development in 1905, the White River Valley Railroad (WRV) was charted to construct a railroad between Chamberlain, South Dakota and Rapid City, South Dakota. Located on the Missouri River, Chamberlain had been the western terminus of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway (Milwaukee Road) since 1881. In 1905, a pontoon bridge was built across the Missouri River, and construction began on the line. In 1906, the railroad reached Murdo, and construction reached Rapid City in 1907. The WRV was absorbed by the Milwaukee Road in 1910.
The Milwaukee Road operated this route as a secondary route, connecting
cities in rural South Dakota. The
Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the
costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company
declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul
and Pacific Railroad in 1928. As the Milwaukee Road continued to face
financial turmoil, branch lines began to see deteriorated conditions. In
1980, the Milwaukee Road sought to abandon significant trackage in
South Dakota, including the Sioux City to Edgeley segment. The State of
South Dakota purchased the railroad line, and in 1987 the Dakota Southern Railway began operations. The line from Kadoka to Rapid City would be closed and railbanked in 1996. In 2021, the State of South Dakota sold the railroad to Watco owned Ringneck & Western Railroad, the current operators of the line. The Kadoka to Rapid City segment remains out of service.
View an article discussing the 1918 alterations to the previous bridge
Located immediately downstream of Interstate 90, this massive bridge is the largest railroad bridge in South Dakota. The first railroad bridge at Chamberlain was a wooden truss and pontoon bridge, constructed in 1905. In the spring of 1918, flooding destroyed the pontoon bridge, and two secondhand 300-foot 12-panel, pin-connected Pennsylvania through truss spans would be purchased from the Kansas City Terminal Railway. The two spans originally were part of the Kansas River Bridge, which was replaced by the Highline Bridge in 1917. It is believed these spans were fabricated in 1907, after the previous bridge was destroyed by flooding. Secondhand girder spans were modified to form a temporary swing span. By the early 1920s, this bridge had become unsuitable, and a 436-foot pin-connected swing span was purchased from the Southern Railway in 1925. An additional 300-foot span would be installed in 1929. It is unknown where these spans were originally constructed, or when they were originally fabricated. One railroad purchasing bridges from another was relatively uncommon, although it is likely that the Milwaukee Road did not have any suitable bridges that could be reused, and did not desire to order new steel spans.
In 1953, the swing bridge was replaced by a new bridge on an alignment downstream as part of the work for Lake Francis Case. This new bridge utilized two large 370-foot riveted 12-panel camelback through truss spans, three 240-foot riveted 8-panel Warren deck truss spans, 25 118-foot deck plate girder spans and four 96-foot deck plate girder spans. The entire bridge would be set onto concrete substructures. Once the new bridge was completed, the old bridge would be removed, and any remains of the old bridge are now submerged. Overall, this bridge appears to be in good condition, and is showing little sign of any serious defects. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the large scale design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |