UP Sand Creek Bridge (Wahoo)

Wahoo, Saunders County, Nebraska

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Overview
South approach
South pier
North pier
Main span
North approach
North abutment
Missing plaque
Intact plaque
South pier
South abutment
Overview
Overview
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Overview

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Default Pic
Overview
South approach
South pier
North pier
Main span
North approach
North abutment
Missing plaque
Intact plaque
South pier
South abutment
Overview
Overview
Overview
Overview
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Date Taken:
Author:
Caption:
Name UP Sand Creek Bridge (Wahoo)
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge #17.99
Built By Union Pacific Railroad
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor American Bridge Company of New York
Length 180 Feet Total, 80 Foot Main Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Deck Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle
Substructure Design Concrete Pile and Timber Pile
Date Built 1917
Traffic Count 2 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number 17.99
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 10/7/2019

Between 1876 and 1877, the Omaha and Republican Valley Railroad (O&RV) constructed a new railroad line between Fremont and Valparaiso, Nebraska.  The line would be extended to Lincoln in 1880, and to Beatrice in 1884.  The railroad was reorganized as the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway in 1887, which was sold to the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) between 1893 and 1898.  UP had constructed and acquired a large amount of lines throughout the western United States, and was best known for completing the First Transcontinental Railroad.  This route served as a secondary line for the UP, connecting several branch lines throughout southern Nebraska and Kansas.  The route continued to be operated by Union Pacific until 2001, when the segment south of Lincoln was abandoned.  This segment has since been turned into the Jamaica North Trail and the Homestead Trail.  Union Pacific operates the remaining segment between Lincoln and Fremont as the Lincoln Subdivision.

Located along Old US Highway 77 on the north side of Wahoo, this deck plate girder bridge crosses Sand Creek. The previous bridge at this location was likely a timber trestle. In 1917, the bridge would be rebuilt with an 80-foot deck plate girder span, set onto concrete pile piers and approached by timber pile trestle spans. The deck girder span would be fabricated by the American Bridge Company, which fabricated nearly all Union Pacific bridges after 1900. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it provided a durable and easy to construct bridge. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The girder span is painted the signature Union Pacific green. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Citations

Builder and build date American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele