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| Name | UP Salt Creek Bridge Union Pacific Railroad Bridge #56.60 |
| Built By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Lassig Bridge & Iron Works of Chicago |
| Length | 232 Feet Total, 110 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Quadrangular Lattice Through Truss and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1916 Using a Span Fabricated c. 1899 |
| Traffic Count | 1 Train/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 56.60 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/27/2017 |
Between 1876 and 1877, the Omaha and Republican Valley Railroad (O&RV) constructed a new railroad line between Fremont and Valparaiso, Nebraska. The line would be extended to Lincoln in 1880, and to Beatrice in 1884. The railroad was reorganized as the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway in 1887, which was sold to the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) between 1893 and 1898. UP had constructed and acquired a large amount of lines throughout the western United States, and was best known for completing the First Transcontinental Railroad. This route served as a secondary line for the UP, connecting several branch lines throughout southern Nebraska and Kansas. The route continued to be operated by Union Pacific until 2001, when the segment south of Lincoln was abandoned. This segment has since been turned into the Jamaica North Trail and the Homestead Trail. Union Pacific operates the remaining segment between Lincoln and Fremont as the Lincoln Subdivision.
Located near Haymarket Park in Lincoln, this through truss bridge is one of two parallel crossings of Salt Creek in this area. This bridge was originally built as part of the Beatrice Branch. The bridge was reportedly built in 1916, and consists of a 110-foot riveted quadrangular lattice through truss span, set onto timber pile piers and approached by timber trestle spans on either side. The truss was fabricated by the Lassig Bridge & Iron Works in 1899 at an unknown location, before being moved here. The truss utilizes solid and laced members, and arched lattice portal bracings, typical of Union Pacific bridges of this design. This particular portal bracing design was used on many Union Pacific bridges between the 1890s and early 1910s. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The bridge was initially abandoned in 2003, before being reactivated in 2013 after the parallel BNSF Bridge was abandoned. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Build Date | Union Pacific Railroad Valuation Engineering Field Notes at the National Archives |
| Builder | Missing Lassig Bridge & Iron Works plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |