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| Name | RCP&E Whitewood Creek Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #H-287 |
| Built By | Chicago & North Western Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Detroit Bridge & Iron Works of Detroit, Michigan |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 175 Feet |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Pratt Through Truss |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1910 Using a Span Fabricated 1898 |
| Original Location | Bridge #0 3/4; Mississippi River Bridge; Clinton, Iowa |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | H-287 |
| Significance | Regional Significance |
| Documentation Date | 7/15/2017 |
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 Whitewood, this large through truss bridge crosses Whitewood Creek. The previous bridge at this location was a timber Howe truss bridge. By 1910, that bridge had become too light for traffic, and it was decided to replace it with a secondhand Pratt through truss span, set onto concrete abutments. The span consists of a 175-foot 7-panel pin connected Pratt through truss. This span was originally fabricated in 1897-1898 by Detroit Bridge & Iron Works to replace an older spans at the Mississippi River crossing at Clinton, Iowa. This span was originally part of the main channel bridge. When the Clinton bridge was replaced in 1909, the four 1897-98 spans were salvaged and reused at various locations. One span was installed here, while two spans were installed at Oral, South Dakota; and the fourth was installed at Niagara, Wisconsin. All four spans continue to exist in 2024. Railroads often reused steel and iron spans to help save costs on bridges. When a span became unsuitable at one location, it could feasibly be repaired and reused at another location. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being regionally significant, due to the unique history.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Detroit Bridge & Iron Works plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |