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| Name | RCP&E Bad River Bridge #3 Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #1659 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 940 Feet Total, 159 Foot 8 Inch Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Quadrangular Lattice Through Truss, Steel Stringer and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Steel Caisson, Steel Pile and Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1927 Using a Span Fabricated 1887; East Approach Rebuilt c. 2009 |
| Original Location | Bridge #228; Cedar River Bridge; Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 1659 |
| Significance | Regional Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/15/2017 |
In 1879, the Chicago and Dakota Railway (C&D) completed 46 miles
of new railroad from Tracy, Minnesota to Elkhorn, South Dakota. At
Tracy, the line connected to an existing railroad owned by the Winona
and Saint Peter Railway (W&StP), which was being leased by the
Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW). At the same time, the
Dakota Central Railway (DC) completed an additional 25 miles from
Elkhorn to Volga, South Dakota in 1879. In 1880, 184 additional miles
would be completed by DC to Pierre. The C&D would come under
control of the Chicago & North Western Railway in 1881, and the
C&D, DC and W&StP would all be merged into the C&NW in 1900.
In 1905, Native American land west of the Missouri River opened to
settlement and development. The C&NW immediately began working on a
new line to reach the Black Hills. In 1906, 76 miles would be
completed from Ft. Pierre to Philip by the Pierre, Rapid City and North
Western Railway (PRC&NW), with 44 additional miles were completed by
the same company between Rapid City and Wasta that year. In 1907, the
bridge across the Missouri River at Pierre and 3 miles of track would be
completed by the Pierre & Ft. Pierre Bridge Railway, and the
remaining 44 miles would be completed from Philip to Wasta by the
PRC&NW. The PRC&NW and Pierre & Ft. Pierre Bridge Railway
were both funded and controlled by the C&NW, and would later be
fully incorporated.
The C&NW operated the route between Winona and Rapid City as the
main line of the Dakota Division, eventually operating the passenger
train the "Dakota 400" over the route. As the line became less
profitable in the 1970s and 1980s, the C&NW was considering
abandoning the route. In 1986, the line between Winona and Rapid City
would be sold to the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad. The
DM&E would be purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) in 2008.
In 2014, the DM&E entered into an agreement with the Genesee &
Wyoming owned Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad (RCP&E) to
sell 670 miles of track. Today, RCP&E operates the segment between
Pierre and Rapid City, South Dakota as the PRC Subdivision.
Located between Midland and Philip, this bridge is the third crossing of the Bad River along this route. The first bridge at this location was a wooden truss bridge, constructed when the line was first built. In 1927, that bridge would be replaced by the current truss bridge. The current bridge utilizes a 159-foot 8-inch riveted quadrangular lattice through truss span, set onto steel cylinder caisson piers. The truss span is believed to have been originally fabricated in 1887 as part of a five span bridge at Bridge #228 across the Cedar River at Cedar Rapids, Iowa along the cutoff around Cedar Rapids. The bridge initially was approached by wooden trestle spans on either end, but the east approach was replaced in approximately 2009 with steel stringer spans, set onto concrete and steel pile substructures. While a few other railroads, such as Union Pacific, Rock Island and Erie all used the design at various times, no railroad relied on the design as much as the C&NW. Between 1878 and 1930, most trusses constructed by the C&NW were of the quadrangular lattice design. The truss span is typical of mid to late 1880s quadrangular trusses fabricated by Lassig Bridge & Iron Works, featuring a flat topped lattice portal, with standard cutout heel bracings.
Railroads often reused steel and iron spans, as it provided a cost effective way to upgrade branch line bridges without spending large amounts of money on new spans. There are numerous secondhand trusses on the Pierre-Rapid City route, mainly reused from the Cedar Rapids bridge, as well as Bridge #708 across the Mississippi River at Winona, Minnesota. The other four spans from Bridge #228 were reused at Bridge #1711 west of Philip, two spans at Bridge #1813 across the Cheyenne River near Wasta, and Bridge #1509 near Fort Pierre, all three of which are still in service. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The truss span has been strengthened, with new floor beams installed. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the unique history and older age.
Citations
| Erection Date | Chicago & North Western AFE Index at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |