BNSF Mill Creek Bridge (Holliday)

Johnson County, Kansas

Default pic
Looking west
Looking west
Looking west
Missing plaque
Looking east
West abutment
Bridge shoe
Under bridge
East abutment

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Default Pic
Looking west
Looking west
Looking west
Missing plaque
Looking east
West abutment
Bridge shoe
Under bridge
East abutment
1/10
Date Taken:
Author:
Caption:
Name BNSF Mill Creek Bridge (Holliday)
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #0A
Built By Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
Currently Owned By BNSF Railway
Superstructure Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Length 105 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Through Plate Girder
Substructure Design Concrete
Date Built 1917
Traffic Count 10 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number 0A
BNSF Railway Bridge Number 0.2
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 9/22/2018

In 1865, the St. Louis, Lawrence and Denver Railroad (StLL&D) completed a 17 mile railroad, extending from Lawrence, Kansas to DeSoto, Kansas.  In 1869, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) constructed 27 miles from Topeka, Kansas to Burlingame, Kansas; and the following year, an additional 34 miles to Emporia were completed.  In 1871, the Lawrence and Topeka Railway (L&T) completed an additional 22 miles from Lawrence to Topeka, Kansas.  In 1874, the StLL&D was reorganized as the St. Louis, Lawrence & Western Railroad (StLL&W).  In 1875, both railroads were conveyed to the Kansas City, Topeka & Western Railroad (KCT&W).  The same year, the KCT&W completed an additional 23 miles between DeSoto and the Kansas City Union Station.  The KCT&W would be leased by the ATSF in 1880.  The ATSF changed its name to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1895, and the KCT&W was consolidated into the ATSF in 1899.  The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in Kansas and Oklahoma.  This line served as one of two mainlines connecting Kansas City to Emporia.  The ATSF would merge with Burlington Northern Railroad in 1996 to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line.  The Holliday to Topeka to Emporia segment of this line is operated as the Topeka Subdivision.

Located along Wilder Road near Holliday Junction, this large through girder bridge carries the BNSF Railway Topeka Subdivision across Mill Creek. Built in 1917, the bridge features a single 105-foot "Class DD" through plate girder span, set onto concrete abutments. This girder span is particularly large, using exceptionally heavy plate girders. The girder span utilizes rounded edges and a ballast deck, typical to ATSF girder bridges. A missing plaque indicates the bridge was fabricated by the American Bridge Company, which fabricated most ATSF bridges after 1900. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads, as it was durable and easy to construct. The through girder span is exceptionally long for the date constructed, and is one of several similar "Class DD" spans constructed throughout the ATSF system. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration 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
Builder Missing American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele