The line terminated in Sioux Falls until 1893, when the Great Northern Railway continued its expansion towards Yankton, South Dakota; where it met the Chicago & North Western.
The line effectively served as a mainline between the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior and Sioux Falls, when connected with its connections.
By 1970, the Great Northern merged with rival Northern Pacific and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to form Burlington Northern Railway.
By the mid-1970s, the trans-Minnesota saw a significant drop in traffic. Along with cutting significant portions of the line in Minnesota, Burlington Northern also took out Yankton to Sioux Falls in 1981.
In 1996, the Burlington Northern merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway, the current operators of the line from Garretson to Sioux Falls, now the Corson Subdivision.
06/26/21
Located near the junction of I-29 and I-229 in Sioux Falls is this trail bridge.
Built in 1906 to replace an older Howe Through Truss and trestle bridge, this structure is one of only a couple Warren Through Trusses built for railroad use in South Dakota.
Consisting of 6 panels, the bridge contains riveted connections and massive built up members. The structure is approached by trestle spans on the east end.
The truss rests on concrete substructures, while the approach spans are supported by wooden bents.
Overall, the bridge remains in good condition. With the bridge now carrying a trail, it is likely this structure will be preserved for generations to come.
The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the distinct lack of Warren Through Truss railroad bridges in the state.
The photo above is an overview. The bridge is easily accessed from local trails.
| Upstream | Elmen Park Rail Bridge |
| Downstream | Riverdale Park Trail Bridge/td> |