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| Name | UP MN-93 Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #317 |
| Built By | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago, Illinois |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 36 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track, Substructures Built for 3 |
| Height Above Ground | 13 Feet 11 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1926, Using Spans Fabricated c. 1895 |
| Original Location | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 5 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | 317 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 62.24 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/31/2018 |
In 1865, the Minnesota Valley Railway Company (MVR) began construction on a new railroad line between Mendota, Minnesota and St. James, Minnesota. In 1865, the first 22 miles were completed between Mendota, Minnesota and Merriam Junction, Minnesota; followed by 17 additional miles to Belle Plaine, Minnesota in 1866. In 1867, the MVR completed an additional 16 miles to Le Sueur, Minnesota; followed by 12 additional miles to Kasota, Minnesota in 1868. In 1869, the MVR completed an additional 22 miles to Lake Crystal, Minnesota. The same year, an additional 5 miles would be completed between St. Paul, Minnesota and Mendota. In 1870, the MVR would be purchased by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC). 22 additional miles to St. James, Minnesota would be completed in 1870. The StP&SC completed 58 more miles from St. James to Worthington, Minnesota in 1871; and 64 additional miles to Le Mars, Iowa were completed in 1872. At Le Mars, the route connected to an existing railroad, over which the StP&SC used trackage rights to reach Sioux City, Iowa.
In 1881, the StP&SC would be sold to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (Omaha Road). The Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) the next year. The C&NW had developed a large network of railroad lines in the Midwest, with the Omaha Road serving as the northern extent of the company. This route became the main line of the Western District of the Omaha Road. Several improvements were made to the line in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Between 1898 and 1906, several sections of the line were realigned between Blakeley, Minnesota and Mankato. In 1957, the C&NW leased the Omaha Road, and the C&NW purchased the company in 1972. The C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1995. UP still operates the St. Paul to St. James segment as the Mankato Subdivision and the St. James to Sioux City segment as the Worthington Subdivision. The line remains a mainline for UP, connecting St. Paul to Sioux City and providing UP with a mainline into the Twin Cities.
Located in Le Sueur, this small deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (Omaha Road) mainline across Minnesota Highway 93 (Bridge Street). It is unknown if there was a bridge at this location prior to 1887. In 1887, a three track 24-foot deck plate girder span was installed on new stone abutments. The superstructure was replaced with heavier spans in 1892, which were fabricated by Lassig Bridge & Iron Works. By the 1920s, the bridge had become too narrow, and was replaced by the current structure in 1926. Three secondhand girder spans were salvaged from other locations on the Omaha Road system for use here. These spans were originally constructed in approximately 1895. Currently, the bridge consists of a 36-foot shallow deck plate girder span, initially constructed for three tracks and set onto concrete substructures. The span uses an exceptionally shallow design, consisting of four girders that are approximately 2 feet thick. It is believed that Lassig Bridge & Iron Works fabricated the superstructure, while an unknown contractor constructed the substructures. It is unclear where the three spans may have been reused from, but there were a couple of 36-foot spans that were replaced or filled along this line between 1925 and 1926. Deck plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. Shallow spans were often preferred for short spans and structures with limited clearance underneath. The exceptionally shallow design of the east track is somewhat unusual, as it is both shallower and a longer span than most 20th Century steel stringer spans. The western track was removed in the 1970s, while the eastern track was removed in 2017. After removal of the eastern track, it was placed at a small maintenance yard in Savage, Minnesota; where it remained until late 2023 or early 2024. It is unclear if the span was scrapped or installed at another location. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with some deterioration noted throughout the structure. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Erection date | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway Record of Property Changes for Valuation Section MN-7 at the Chicago & North Western Railway Historical Society Archives |
| Builder (superstructure) | Presumed based on similar spans |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |