They formed the subsidiary Worthington & Sioux Falls Railway to construct the approximately 50 mile segment of main line from Agate Junction (near Worthington) to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
It opened to Adrian, Minnesota by 1875, Luverne, Minnesota in 1876 and Sioux Falls in 1878.
In 1879, it would be continued west by the Chicago, St. Paul Minneapolis & Omaha Railway, reaching Mitchell by 1882.
In 1882, the CStPM&O became a subsidiary of the Chicago & North Western Railway.
The Chicago & North Western operated this line as a branch line, until 1888, when it abandoned the whole Agate Junction to Mitchell segment.
The Buffalo Ridge Railroad Authority stepped in and purchased the line from Buffalo Ridge, through Sioux Falls to Agate the same year.
In 2015, the Minnesota Southern operates from Valley Junction to Agate, where it meets a Union Pacific mainline.
In addition, the Ellis & Eastern Railway serves from Brandon to Sioux Falls.
06/26/21
Located at the back of a park in Brandon lies this unique bridge.
Built in 1891, the bridge features a standard Lassig Bridge & Iron Works design.
Utilizing a single Quadrangular Through Truss with riveted connections and pedimented portal bracing, the bridge is also approached by trestle spans on either side.
The truss sits on stone piers, while the approach spans are supported by wooden bents.
Overall, the bridge remains in good condition. It is reportedly currently out of service, but the author hopes it will be used again, either for rail transport or trail use.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the older age of the truss. However, the bridge fails to rank higher because of the dozens of more unique trusses in South Dakota.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge can easily be accessed from a park.
| Upstream | Corson Rail Bridge |
| Downstream | Confluence With Big Sioux River |