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| Name | SKOL Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #165B |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 100 Feet Total, 60 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Steel Bent Concrete |
| Date Built | 1907 |
| Traffic Count | 3 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 165B |
| South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad Bridge Number | 165.2 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/28/2017 |
In 1871, the Southern Kansas Railroad (SK) would construct a new railroad, extending 10 miles from Cherryvale, Kansas to Independence, Kansas. In 1879, the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company (SK&W) began constructing an additional 138 miles from Independence to Harper, Kansas. This route would be completed in 1880. Both railroads were consolidated into the Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Kansas Railroad in 1879, which would be consolidated into the Southern Kansas Railway in 1883. In 1885, the Chicago, Kansas & Western Railroad would construct an additional 43 mile connection, between Chanute, Kansas and Longton, Kansas. The Southern Kansas Railway would be leased by the Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1899, and entirely consumed by the ATSF
in 1901. The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number
of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in
Kansas and Oklahoma. This line was utilized as a secondary mainline, connecting a number of ATSF mainlines in Southern Kansas. The line between Longton and Independence would be abandoned in 1968. The Chanute to Wellington segment would be sold to the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) in 1990. In 2000, the Chanute to Fredonia segment would be abandoned, and purchased for future trail use. In approximately 2002, the segment between Oxford, Kansas and Wellington was abandoned. The remainder of the line continues to be operated by SKOL, serving mainly agricultural traffic. As of 2024, work is underway to convert the 19-mile Chanute to Fredonia segment to the Osage Cuestas Trail.
Located in Independence, this deck plate girder bridge crosses Pennsylvania Avenue (US Highway 75). Built in 1908, the bridge features a single 60-foot "Class A" deck plate girder, approached by a 20-foot deck plate girder span on either side. The bridge is set onto concrete abutments and steel bents. The bridge was fabricated by American Bridge Company, the main fabricator of bridges for the Santa Fe in the 20th Century. Faded heralds from the Santa Fe days can still be seen on the bridge. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it provided a cost effective way to minimize substructure costs for taller bridges. While not particularly tall, this bridge likely utilized this design due to cheaper costs. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |