BNSF 15th Street Bridge (Topeka)

Name	BNSF 15th Street Bridge (Topeka) Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #51D
Built By	Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
Currently Owned By	BNSF Railway
Superstructure Contractor	American Bridge Company of New York
Length	57 Feet Total, 41 Foot Main Span
Width	1 Track
Height Above Ground	14 Feet 3 Inches
Superstructure Design	Through Plate Girder and Steel Stringer
Substructure Design	Concrete and Steel Bent
Date Built	1929
Traffic Count	10 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number	51D
BNSF Railway Bridge Number	51.7
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	12/31/2019

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 in Topeka, this through girder bridge crosses 15th Street near Adams Street. In the late 1920s, the ATSF undertook a project to eliminate grade crossings in Topeka. As part of the project, much of the line to Emporia was elevated or depressed throughout the city. This bridge was constructed in 1929 as the ATSF elevated the tracks in the area. The bridge consists of a 41-foot through plate girder span, approached by an 8-foot steel stringer span on either end. The bridge is set onto concrete abutments and utilizes steel bent piers. The superstructure of the bridge was fabricated by American Bridge Company, which fabricated numerous bridges for the ATSF during the 20th Century. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads for urban grade separations, as it was durable, easy to construct and relatively cheap. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no critical deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

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

BNSF 15th Street Bridge (Topeka)

Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas