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| Name | SKOL 11th Street Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #16G |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 75 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 14 Feet 7 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1958 Using a Recycled Turntable Fabricated c. 1910 |
| Original Location | Unknown Turntable |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 16G |
| South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad Bridge Number | 16.66 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/28/2017 |
In 1867, the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Railroad (LL&G) began construction on a 143 mile railroad, extending from Lawrence to Coffeyville, Kansas. The new line would be completed in 1871. The railroad would be reorganized as the Lawrence & Galveston Railroad in 1878, and again reorganized as the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Railroad (KCL&S) in 1879. The KCL&S would be merged into the Southern Kansas Railway in 1883. 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 initially served as a mainline, connecting the main lines at Lawrence, Ottawa and Chanute with various branch lines. The segment between Lawrence and Baldwin would be abandoned in 1968, and the Ottawa to Baldwin segment sold to the Midland Railway in 1988. The Ottawa to Humboldt segment would be abandoned in 1990, and acquired for trail use. The Humboldt to Coffeyville segment would be sold to the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad in 1990. Today, SKOL continues to operate the southern portion of this line, while the Ottawa to Humboldt segment has become part of the Prairie Spirit Rail Trail. The Midland Railway was a tourist railroad, which ceased operations in 2023. It is currently unknown what the future holds for the Ottawa to Baldwin segment of this line.
Located in Coffeyville, this through girder bridge crosses 11th Street (US Highways 166/169). The previous bridge at this location was a 75-foot through plate girder span, fabricated in 1908. In 1958, it was decided to replace that bridge, and a 75-foot 5-inch turntable was installed on the old concrete abutments. The turntable appears to have been fabricated in approximately 1910, and a plaque on the east face indicates that American Bridge Company built the structure. It is currently unknown where the turntable was reused from. Railroads often reused steel bridges, as it provided a cost effective way to replace bridges without purchasing all new material. The bridge was altered upon relocation, and a slight skew added to the bridge. It is unknown if the bridge was also shortened at this time. This bridge is one of four through plate girder spans in the area, and is located next to the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad bridge. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the reuse of a turntable.
Authors Note: If you have a photo of the plaque on the east face of the bridge, please share with the author of this site.
Citations
| Build date | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Builder | Missing American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |