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
This old and historic truss bridge crosses the Big Sioux River just west of Brandon.
The bridge features a quadrangular through truss main span, which has a more "boxy" design than other similar structures.
This truss has riveted connections, and a pedimented portal bracing.
In addition, the bridge is approached by several spans of wooden trestle on either side.
The piers for the truss span are however made of stone, encased in concrete.
The author has ranked this structure as moderate significance for a number of reasons. The first is the age of the structure. The bridge is an early example of a Lassig Quadrangular Through Truss. In addition, it is a moderately early example of the design to start with.
The photo above is an overview.
| Upstream | BNSF Big Sioux River Bridge (Brandon) |
| Downstream | IC Big Sioux River Bridge |