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| Name | UP Solomon River Bridge Union Pacific Railroad Bridge #173.62 |
| Built By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 222 Feet Total, 138 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Quadrangular Lattice Through Truss and Steel Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry, Concrete and Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1901 |
| Traffic Count | 5 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 173.62 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/29/2017 |
After the Pacific Railway Act of 1862, numerous railroads were charting routes from the Midwest to the Pacific using federal land grants. The Leavenworth, Pawnee and Western Railroad was initially authorized by the Kansas Legislature in 1855, and changed the name to the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division (UP-ED) in 1863. In 1864, the UP-ED began construction on a 40 mile railroad line, extending from Kansas City, Missouri westwards towards Denver. The railroad reached Salina, Kansas by 1865, and an additional 97 miles to Fort Riley, Kansas opened in 1866. In 1867, an additional 152 miles to Hays, Kansas would open to traffic, followed by an additional 116 miles to McAllaster, Colorado in 1869. The UP-ED would be merged into the Kansas Pacific Railway (KP) in 1869. The KP continued construction westwards, constructing an additional 234 miles to Denver, Colorado in 1870. The KP was sold to the Union Pacific Railway in 1880. The railroad would change its name to the Union Pacific Railroad in 1901. The UP had constructed a vast network of railroads, extending from the Missouri River westwards. This route served as a secondary mainline for the railroad, roughly paralleling the First Transcontinental Railroad, which was constructed north of this line in Nebraska. Between 1901 and 1905, significant upgrades were made to this line, including realignments and new bridges, and a second track from Kansas City to Topeka was constructed in 1906. Since the initial construction, little has changed with this line. UP spent significant capital upgrading the route in the 1990s, although traffic has slowed considerably in the 2010s. Today, UP operates the Kansas Subdivision between Kansas City and Menoken, the Salina Subdivision between Menoken and Salina, the Sharon Springs Subdivision between Salina and Sharon Springs, and the Limon Subdivision from Sharon Springs to Denver.
Located west of Solomon, this through truss bridge carries the Union Pacific line over the Solomon River. The previous bridge here was likely a wooden truss, constructed in 1879. By 1901, that bridge had become too light for traffic, and a new 138-foot riveted quadrangular lattice through truss span would be installed on the old stone abutment, and a new concrete pier constructed. A trestle approach was constructed at the east end of the bridge, which was replaced with steel stringer spans in approximately 2000. While relatively uncommon, the quadrangular lattice truss design was a standard design of the Union Pacific between approximately 1895 and 1905. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, Erie Railroad and Chicago & North Western Railway all used the design in varying capacities, with the lattice truss being the design of choice for the C&NW for over 40 years. The truss utilized solid and laced members, and arched lattice portal bracings, typical of Union Pacific bridges of this design. This particular portal bracing design was used on many Union Pacific bridges between the 1890s and early 1910s. A number of other examples exist throughout Kansas, primarily along this line between Topeka and Denver. The portal bracings were replaced in the 1990s with new lattice beams, to increase clearance inside the truss. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, and appears well maintained. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Build date | Union Pacific Railroad Valuation Engineering Field Notes at the National Archives |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |