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| Name | Alborn Trail Bridge Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway Bridge #A1B |
| Built By | Duluth, Missabe & Northern Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Unknown | |
| Length | 110 Feet Total, 36 Foot Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Steel Bent and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1919 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is a Trail) |
| Current Status | Open to Trail Traffic |
| Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway Bridge Number | A1B |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 6/23/2015 |
In 1905, the Duluth, Missabe & Northern Railroad Company (DM&N)
began construction on a 53 mile double track railroad line extending from Alborn to Coleraine,
Minnesota. The route would be completed in 1906. The DM&N was owned by US Steel, which operated the railroad to provide iron ore from Minnesota to the ports at Duluth. This route was constructed solely to provide a connection between iron deposits near Coleraine and the ports at Duluth. The DM&N merged with the Duluth &
Iron Range Railroad
to form the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) in
1938. As traffic dwindled after World War II, the route would be downgraded, and eventually abandoned in 1977. The line sat unused until 1996, when it was purchased by an ATV club, which converted it to the Alborn-Pengilly Trail.
Located at Alborn Junction, this through plate girder bridge carries the Alborn-Pengilly Trail across the BNSF Railway (former Great Northern Railway) and Alborn Junction Road. The previous bridge here was a similar span, constructed 1905-06. In 1919, it was decided to replace that span for unknown reasons. As a result, a three 36-foot through plate girder spans were constructed, set onto steel bents and concrete abutments. The double track bridge also utilized a sheet metal deck, and ran at a 22-degree skew. The sheet metal deck was a unique feature to bridges in the iron range, and was likely installed to prevent significant rusting of the bridge components. The National Bridge Inventory suggests this bridge was built 1937, so it is possible that additional alterations were made then. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition, with no critical deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |