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| Name | SKOL 12th Street Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #16H |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 70 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 12 Feet 3 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1908 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 16H |
| South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad Bridge Number | 16.73 |
| Significance | Local 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 once carried the ATSF over 12th Street. Built in 1908, the bridge consists of a single 70-foot "shelf angle girder" through plate girder span, set on concrete abutments that were constructed the same year. The bridge is located immediately west of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad bridge, and is one of four through girder bridges located in the area. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The shelf angle girder design is a variation of the through plate girder design, where a shelf runs along the inside of each girder. Instead of utilizing stringers, the ties are set directly on the shelf. These designs were occasionally used where clearance underneath the structure was a concern. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some deterioration to the concrete noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |