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| Name | PGR 7th Street Bridge Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge #S-284 |
| Built By | Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway |
| Currently Owned By | Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited |
| Superstructure Contractor | Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Length | 58 Feet Total, 29 Foot Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 12 Feet 0 Inches |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Steel Bent |
| Date Built | 1908 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Closed to Traffic) |
| Current Status | Closed to all traffic |
| Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Bridge Number | S-284 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 9/25/2011; 11/25/2017 |
In 1864, the Minnesota Central Railway began construction of a new railroad between Mendota, Minnesota and Faribault, Minnesota. The line would be completed between Mendota and Fairbault in 1865, and would be extended to Owatonna in 1866. In 1867, the McGregor Western Railway would extend the line through Austin, Minnesota and towards Cresco, Iowa; connecting to an existing line extending to McGregor, Iowa. The Minnesota Central conveyed the Mendota to Owatonna line to the McGregor Western Railway Company in 1867, which in turn was purchased by the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company (M&StP). In 1874, the M&StP would change its name to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company (CM&StP) in 1874. Known as the Milwaukee Road, the railroad was beginning to amass a large collection of railroads throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
This line served as a secondary mainline, bypassing the congested mainline along the Mississippi River. The Milwaukee Road was often in financial trouble, especially after the
costly Pacific Extension was completed in 1909. In 1925, the company
declared bankruptcy, and reorganized as the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul
and Pacific Railroad in 1928. As the Milwaukee Road continued to struggle in the 1970s and 1980s, portions of the railroad would be abandoned. The line between Austin and Cresco would be abandoned in 1983. By 1985, a suitor for the Milwaukee Road was being sought, and the Soo
Line Railroad, controlled by Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) purchased the
Milwaukee Road in 1986. In 1997, CP would sell the Austin to Comus segment to I&M Rail Link, which was purchased by the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) subsidiary Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad (IC&E). The DM&E/IC&E were purchased by Canadian Pacific in 2008. CP merged with Kansas City Southern Railway in 2023 to form CPKC, the current owner of the Mendota to Austin line. Progressive Rail operates portions of the line in Faribault and Inver Grove Heights, while much of the line between Faribault and Owatonna is out of service.
Located in Faribault, this attractive blue girder span crosses 7th Street near 8th Avenue. Built in 1908, the bridge consists of two 29-foot trough floor through plate girder spans, set onto a steel bent and concrete abutments. The spans were fabricated by the Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Company, and featured concrete encasement inside the girders at the flanges. Trough floor spans were commonly used for underpasses beginning in the early 1900s, particularly in large cities like Chicago. As evidenced by this bridge, with proper maintenance, this design of bridge can last longer than a typical open deck span. As part of the trough floor spans, floor drainage systems would be installed, and the bridge sloped to one side. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition, with some deterioration noted throughout the structure. However, much of the structural steel on this bridge appears to be in good condition. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |