BNSF Mud Creek Bridge (Abilene)

Name	BNSF Mud Creek Bridge (Abilene) Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #58.6
Built By	Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
Currently Owned By	BNSF Railway
Superstructure Contractor	Bethlehem Steel Company of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Length	188 Feet Total, 52 Foot Largest Span
Width	2 Tracks
Height Above Ground	15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Steel Stringer and Timber Pile Trestle
Substructure Design	Timber Pile
Date Built	1959
Traffic Count	0 Trains/Day (Bridge has been Replaced)
Current Status	Replaced by a new bridge
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number	58.6
BNSF Railway Bridge Number	58.6
Significance	Minimal Significance
Documentation Date	12/31/2019

In 1886, the Chicago, Kansas & Western Railway (CK&W) began construction on a new railroad, 163 miles in length. The new line would connect to an existing Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) line at Gladstone, Kansas, and extend to Superior, Nebraska. The line was completed in 1888. The CK&W would be acquired by the ATSF in 1889, but did not formally convey the property to the ATSF until 1901. The ATSF was reorganized as the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1895. The segment between Gladstone and Strong City would be abandoned prior to 1900. 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 a connection between the existing mainlines in central Kansas and additional branch lines in northern Kansas. The ATSF would merge with Burlington Northern Railroad in 1996 to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line. The line between Strong City and Lost Springs, Kansas would be abandoned in 2005. The remainder of this route is currently operated as the Strong City Subdivision.

Located along Cherry Street in Abilene, this steel stringer and trestle bridge once crossed Mud Creek. Built in 1959 to replace a timber pile trestle, the bridge utilized a 52-foot and a 50-foot steel stringer span, set onto timber pile piers and approached by timber pile trestle spans. The bridge was built for one track, with a turnout for a second track located on the bridge. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, due to the ease of construction and cheap cost. The bridge was replaced by a precast concrete structure in April 2024. Overall, the bridge appeared to be in fair condition at the time of documentation, with no major deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being minimally significant, due to the common design.

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

BNSF Mud Creek Bridge (Abilene)

Abilene, Dickinson County, Kansas