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| Name | Vermillion River Trail Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #O-2 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | City of Hastings |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Works of Chicago |
| Unknown | |
| Length | 140 Feet Total, 67 Foot Largest span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 50 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Steel Bent |
| Date Built | 1896 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Trail Traffic |
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | O-2 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 5/30/2014; 3/19/2019 |
In 1872, the Hastings and Dakota Railway completed 72 miles of new railroad between Hastings, Minnesota and Glencoe, Minnesota. Later that year, the H&D would convey this line to the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, which would change its name to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company (CM&StP) in 1874. Known as the Milwaukee Road, the railroad was beginning to amass a large collection of railroads throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. The line would later be extended westwards, eventually reaching Aberdeen, South Dakota. In 1882, the Milwaukee Road built the Benton Cutoff, a new direct route between Minneapolis and Cologne, reducing the importance of the original line.
The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in 1928. The segment of this line between Hastings and Farmington was removed in 1935. As the Milwaukee Road continued to face financial hardship during the 1970s, numerous branch lines would be abandoned, including the segment between Shakopee and Cologne in 1977. The Chaska to Shakopee segment, including the large truss swing bridge over the Minnesota River, were purchased for trail use. The segment between Shakopee and Farmington was abandoned in 1980, and the Milwaukee Road utilized trackage rights over the Chicago & North Western to reach Rahr Malting in Shakopee. The Milwaukee Road would eventually be purchased by the Soo Line in 1986, which has since become part of CPKC. During the 1980s, the segment between Chaska and Shakopee was converted to the Chaska-Shakopee Trail. Due to a failing pier, the Minnesota River bridge was removed in 1996, and the Chaska segment of the trail has been abandoned. Union Pacific Railroad now operates the remaining spur of track in Shakopee.
Located on the west side of Hastings, this large viaduct carries the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad high above the Vermilion River gorge. It is believed that the first bridge at this location was a covered wooden deck truss, completed in 1868. This bridge was replaced by a tall timber trestle, which used a wooden pony truss center span. By 1896, that bridge had become too light for traffic and was replaced by the current bridge. The current bridge features a 35-foot and 38-foot type "A1" deck plate girder span, and a 67-foot type "A2" deck plate girder span. The bridge is set onto steel bents, and stone masonry abutments. American Bridge Works fabricated the superstructure, and it is unknown if the substructure was built by railroad company forces or by an unknown contractor. Bridges such as this were commonly used to cross difficult terrain, as the steel towers provided a cheap way to construct piers. The bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the size of the bridge.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Milwaukee Road Archives - Industrial Department Records - located at the Milwaukee Public Library |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |