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| Name | Abandoned S. Fork Root River Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #Q-80 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Private Owner |
| Superstructure Contractor | Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago |
| Length | 85 Feet Total |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through plate girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1895, relocated here 1928 |
| Original Location | Bridge #I-646; Little Medicine Creek Bridge; Galt, Missouri |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Private Traffic |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | Q-80 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 12/28/2014 |
In 1872, the Southern Minnesota Railroad constructed 165 miles of new track in Southern Minnesota from La Crescent, Minnesota to Winnebago, Minnesota. The railroad was sold and reorganized in 1877 as the Southern Minnesota Railway. In 1878, the line would be extended an additional 138 miles to Flandreau, South Dakota by the The Southern Minnesota Railway Extension, which was controlled by the Southern Minnesota Railway beginning in 1880. In 1880, the Southern Minnesota Railway conveyed it's property to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway. 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 to Wessington Springs, South Dakota.
The Milwaukee Road operated this route as a secondary route, connecting cities and other lines in Southern Minnesota and South Dakota. 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. As the Milwaukee Road continued to face financial turmoil, branch lines began to see deteriorated conditions. By 1980, the Milwaukee Road was looking to reduce its trackage, and it abandoned this line between Ramsey and La Crescent, as well as Jackson and Flandreau. Portions of the line between Ramsey and La Crescent were purchased for trail use, and the portion of the line from Fountain to Houston was reused as the Root River State Trail. By 1985, a suitor for the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo Line Railroad, controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the Milwaukee Road in 1986. In 2023, CP merged with Kansas City Southern Railway to form CPKC, the current operator of the Ramsey to Jackson segment of this line.
Located east of Houston, this through plate girder bridge carries a farm access driveway across the S. Fork Root River. The previous bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle. In 1928, it was decided to replace the trestle with a permanent steel and concrete bridge. An 85-foot type "C-4" through plate girder span, which was built in 1895 for Bridge #I-646 at Galt Missouri, was relocated to this location, and set onto standard concrete abutments.
Relocating steel and iron spans was a common technique for railroads seeking to save money. Oftentimes, when a span became too light for mainline traffic, it could be feasibly relocated to a branch line and properly serve traffic. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with little serious deterioration noted during a 2014 visit. In late 2020, the bridge received a new deck, and should continue to carry farm traffic for years to come. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder, build dates and relocation history | Milwaukee Road Bridge Index, located at the Milwaukee Road Archives at the Milwaukee Public Library |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |