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| Name | RCP&E Belle Fourche River Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #H-313 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 343 Feet Total, 70 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder and Concrete Modular Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Steel Pile |
| Date Built | 1920, Approaches Rebuilt 2007 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | H-313 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/16/2017 |
In 1885, the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Rail Road Company (FE&MV) began construction on a 240 mile railroad line, extending from Valentine, Nebraska to Rapid City, South Dakota. Work would be completed in 1886. The following year, an additional 30 miles would be constructed from Rapid City, to Whitewood, South Dakota. An additional 21 miles would be constructed to Belle Fourche, South Dakota in 1890. The FE&MV would be reorganized in 1891, and sold to the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1903. The C&NW had constructed and acquired a large number of railroad lines throughout the Midwest, and this line was one of the westernmost lines.
With the discovery of high quality bentonite nearby, the line would be extended 18 miles to Colony, Wyoming in 1948. This line served as a secondary route for the C&NW, connecting numerous industrial and agricultural branches in western South Dakota. In 1995, the line between Chadron and Colony would be sold to the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E). 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 Chadron and Colony as the Black Hills Subdivision.
Located in Belle Fourche, this through plate girder bridge crosses the Belle Fourche River. The previous bridge here consisted of a double intersection Warren deck truss, approached by timber trestle spans. In 1920, the truss span of the bridge would be rebuilt with a 70-foot through plate girder span, set onto concrete piers. New trestle approaches were added to the bridge at this time. The girder span features tapered edges, typical of C&NW through girder spans. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, and well maintained. The trestle approaches were replaced with modular concrete spans in 2007. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build Date | Chicago & North Western AFE Notes at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society Archives |
| Builder | Missing American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |