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| Name | Soo Line Albany Trestle |
| Built By | Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Stearns County |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 625 Feet Total, 60 Foot Largest Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 25 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Type | Deck Plate Girder, Steel Stringer and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Type | Concrete and Timber Pile |
| Dates Built | Ca. 1930 and 1956 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Closed to Traffic) |
| Current Status | Closed to all Traffic |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/18/2013 |
In 1907, the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line) began construction on a new railroad line, extending from the existing mainline at Brooten, Minnesota; to the Twin Ports city of Duluth, Minnesota. The first 87 miles were completed by the end of 1908, with the remaining 100 miles completed in 1909. The Soo Line was a smaller railroad in the Midwest, with routes extending through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Dakota. It was operated as a subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). This route became a critical connection for the Soo Line, providing a connection between the existing mainline at Brooten and the industries at Duluth. By 1937, the Soo Line had entered bankruptcy, and it would be reorganized as the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad in 1944.
By 1961, the Soo Line would be merged with other CP subsidiaries Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad and Wisconsin Central Railroad to form Soo Line Railroad, a company controlled by CP. In 1984, the Soo Line would be reorganized as the Soo Line Corporation, and the railroad would be fully merged into CP in 1990. The segment from Genola to Superior was abandoned in 1990. The segment from Genola to Boyleston was purchased by MNDOT and Douglas County, Wisconsin and converted to the Soo Line Trail. The remainder of the route would be abandoned in 1996, and purchased by Morrison and Stearns Counties for trail use. Today, much of the route has been converted to the Soo Line Trail, and further work is being done in Stearns County to convert the railroad to the Dairyland Trail.
Located just west of Albany, this large trestle bridge features a variety of designs and once carried the Soo Line over the Great Northern Railway, US Route 52 and Interstate 94. Little is known about the history of this bridge. The first bridge at this location was an all wooden bridge, constructed in 1908. In approximately 1930, the bridge was upgraded, and and a 43-foot deck plate girder span installed across US Highway 52, and a 35-foot steel stringer span installed across the Great Northern, with the remainder of the bridge being constructed of timber pile trestle, and timber pile substructures. It is possible that these spans were reused from another location. In 1956, four 60-foot deck girder spans were added to the south end of the bridge to cross Interstate 94, and new concrete substructures constructed.
Large wooden trestle bridges like this were commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, but were often upgraded with steel and concrete structures. As of 2024, the bridge is still abandoned, although it is planned to be used as part of the Dairyland Trail. Recent inspection reports indicate that the bridge is in acceptable condition, with no critical defects noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the large size and numerous designs.
Citations
| Build Date | National Bridge Inventory (NBI) |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |