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| Name | NPR Lake Ardoch Inlet Bridge Soo Line Railroad Bridge #J-363.48 |
| Built By | Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (Owner) Northern Plains Railroad (Operator) |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 272 Feet Total, 50 Foot Main Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Steel Stringer |
| Substructure Design | Steel Pile |
| Date Built | 1953 using spans fabricated c. 1910 |
| Date Rehabilitated | 2010 |
| Original Locations | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Soo Line Railroad Bridge Number | J-363.48 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/11/2020 |
In 1905, the Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railway (Soo Line) began construction on a 297 mile agricultural branch line extending from Thief River Falls, Minnesota to Kenmare, North Dakota. The route would be completed that year. The Soo Line was building a number of agricultural branch lines throughout Minnesota and North Dakota, primarily to connect wheat crops with the markets at Minneapolis. The Soo Line was a smaller railroad in the Midwest, with routes extending through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Dakota, with subsidiary routes extending to Chicago. It was operated as a subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). 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. In 1997, CP would lease the route to the Northern Plains Railroad (NPR). The segment between Kramer, North Dakota and Bisbee, North Dakota would be abandoned in 2009. In 2023, CP would merge with Kansas City Southern Railway to form CPKC. NPR continues to operate the remainder of this route, which is still owned by CPKC.
Located near Ardoch; this deck plate girder bridge crosses the inlet to Lake Ardoch. Built in approximately 1953, the bridge originally consisted of a three 50-foot deck plate girder spans, approached by trestle and set onto timber pile substructures. The bridge would later be renewed with a 35-foot steel stringer span on either end. In 2010, the bridge was reconstructed, and an additional steel stringer span was added to the west end. At this time, the entire bridge was set onto new steel pile substructures. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. It is believed the girder and 35-foot stringer spans were originally built at other locations, and later moved here. Railroads often reused spans from one location to another. This provided a economic way to construct bridges along branch lines. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design. Unfortunately, close photos of the bridge were not possible, as it is surrounded by private property.
Citations
| Build Date | Soo Line Historical and Technical Society |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |