Worthington Railroad Crossing

Worthington, Nobles County, Minnesota

Default pic
Overview
Overview
North abutment
South abutment
Missing plaque

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Default Pic
Overview
Overview
North abutment
South abutment
Missing plaque
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Caption:
Name Worthington Railroad Crossing
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #676
Built By Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor Unknown
Unknown
Length 24 Feet Total
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 20 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Deck Plate Girder
Substructure Design Stone Masonry
Date Built c. 1900
Traffic Count 5 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number 676
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number 178.08
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 1/1/2016
In 1865, the Minnesota Valley Railway Company began construction on a new railroad line between Mendota, Minnesota and St. James, Minnesota. The first 22 miles would be completed between Mendota and Merriam Junction in 1865, followed by 17 more miles to Belle Plaine in 1866, 16 additional miles to Le Sueur in 1867, 12 additional miles to Kasota in 1868, and 22 additional miles to Lake Crystal, Minnesota in 1869. Also in 1869, the Minnesota Valley would complete 5 additional miles from Mendota to St. Paul. In 1870, the Minnesota Valley would be purchased by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC). 22 additional miles to St. James would be completed in 1870. The StP&SC completed 58 more miles from St. James to Worthington, Minnesota in 1871; and 64 additional miles to Le Mars, Iowa were completed in 1872. At Le Mars, the route connected to an existing railroad, over which the StP&SC used trackage rights to reach Sioux City.
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. This route became the main line of the Western District of the Omaha Road. The Omaha Road would formally be merged into the C&NW in 1959. The C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific in 1995, which still operates the St. James to Le Mars segment as the Worthington Subdivision. The line continues to carry steady traffic.

Located on the south side of Worthington, this small deck plate girder bridge carries the former Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway over an abandoned Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific line. Built in approximately 1900, the bridge features a single 24-foot deck plate girder span, set onto stone abutments. The Rock Island built this line between 1900 and 1902, and the bridge likely dates to this era. The bridge also uses four girder lines, possibly indicating that it was strengthened with secondhand girders. Railroads oftentimes reused girders to strengthen other bridges. An unidentified missing plaque is located on the south face of the bridge. It is unknown what contractor fabricated the steel, or what contractor constructed the substructures. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition, with some deterioration noted. It is likely that this bridge will be filled in the coming years. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Citations

Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele