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| Name | Luce Line State Trail - Crow River Bridge Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway Bridge #30.1 |
| Built By | Minnesota Western Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 185 Feet Total, 65 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Prefabricated Pedestrian Truss |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1929, Approaches Rebuilt 1977 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Trail Traffic With Approaches Replaced |
| Minnesota Western Railroad Bridge Number | 30.1 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 2/16/2013 |
In 1909, the Electric Short Line Railway (ELSR) began construction of a 54-mile route extending from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Hutchinson, Minnesota. Due to financial troubles, the railroad would not be completed until 1916. By 1922, further extensions were being made to Cosmos, and in 1923, the railroad would be extended to Lake Lillian. Financial trouble in 1924 caused the foreclosure of the ELSR, and the railroad would be reorganized as the Minnesota Western Railroad (MW) the same year. The goal of the railroad was to eventually reach Brookings, South Dakota. The final extension was completed in 1927, when the railroad reached Gluek, Minnesota. The railroad, nicknamed the "Luce Line" due to its operation by the Luce Family, was intended to serve under served farming communities in western Minnesota. Due to the late start and little capital, the railroad was often struggling financially.
In 1956, the railroad would be purchased by the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway (M&StL), which operated the route as a subsidiary known as the Minneapolis Industrial Railway. In 1960, the M&StL would be purchased by the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW). The C&NW saw little use for this branch line, and deferred maintenance with the goal of abandoning the route. In 1970, the C&NW would remove 104 miles of railroad between Gluek and Plymouth, Minnesota. The route between Cosmos and Plymouth was purchased by the Minnesota DNR for trail use. In 1995, C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP). In 2023, UP continues to operate the Plymouth to Minneapolis segment of the line, while the portion between Plymouth and Cosmos has become part of the Luce Line State Trail. The remainder of the route has been abandoned and reverted to adjacent landowners
Located in Watertown, this deck girder bridge carries the Luce Line State Trail over the Crow River. The first bridge at this location was a curved timber pile trestle, constructed when the line was first built. In 1929, the bridge would be rebuilt with a 65-foot deck plate girder, set onto concrete piers and approached by timber pile trestle spans on either end. The girder span uses a standard design for the era, with heavy girders and bracing. American Bridge Company fabricated the girder, while an unknown contractor constructed the concrete piers. Deck plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. When the railroad was abandoned, the approaches to the bridge were removed. When the trail was built, prefabricated pedestrian truss bridges were installed at both ends. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good good condition, and is sufficient for the trail traffic it carries. The author has rated the bridge as locally significant, due to the common design and newer build date.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |