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| Name | Elmen Park Railroad Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #P-131 |
| Built By | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Ellis & Eastern Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago |
| Length | 319 Feet Total, 100 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Quadrangular Lattice Through Truss and Concrete Modular Girder |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Steel Pile |
| Date Built | 1892, Approach Reconstructed 2024 |
| Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number | P-131 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 12/30/2014 |
In 1876, the Worthington and Sioux Falls Railroad Company (W&SF) would begin construction on a new railroad line, extending 58 miles from Org, Minnesota to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The line would be completed in 1878, and the W&SF would become part of the Saint Paul and Sioux City Railroad Company (StP&SC) in 1879. The StP&SC would construct an additional 40 miles to Salem, South Dakota in 1880. In 1881, the StP&SC would be sold to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (CStPM&O), also known as the Omaha Road. The Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) the next year. The line would be completed to Mitchell in 1887.
This route served as a branch line for the Omaha Road, connecting to agricultural markets in South Dakota. The Omaha Road would formally be merged into the C&NW in 1959. Because of the branch line status of this line, the C&NW deferred maintenance on the route. In 1981, the Ellis to Mitchell segment of the line would be abandoned. The remainder of the line was abandoned in 1987, but would be sold to the Buffalo Ridge Railroad Authority and the Ellis & Eastern Railroad. Through the 1990s, a number of railroads operated the Buffalo Ridge segment between Org and Manley. In 2001, Minnesota Southern Railway began operations between Org and Manley, and it would be acquired by the Ellis & Eastern Railroad (EE) in 2017. Today, the route is being upgraded by EE to secure future operations.
Located in Sioux Falls, this quadrangular lattice through truss bridge is located north of 12th Street and Elmen Park. Built in 1892, the bridge consists of a single 100-foot quadrangular lattice through truss span, set onto a stone pier and abutment, and originally approached by a wooden trestle approach on the east end. While a few other railroads, such as Union Pacific, Rock Island and Erie all used the design at various times, no railroad relied on the design as much as the C&NW. Between 1878 and 1930, most trusses constructed by the C&NW were of the quadrangular lattice design. The truss span is typical of an early 1890s quadrangular lattice trusses fabricated by Lassig Bridge & Iron Works, featuring a pedimented lattice portal, with standard cutout heel bracings. Stone for the substructures appears to be made of limestone from Kasota, Minnesota. These piers have been reinforced with steel rod bands. The trestle approach of the bridge was replaced with modular concrete girder spans in 2024. The truss was also repaired with high strength bolts at various locations in c. 2010. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Lassig Bridge & Iron Works plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |