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| Name | BNSF Wilder Road Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #X13.6 |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Ryerson & Son Company of Chicago, Illinois |
| Length | 89 Feet Total, 32 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Steel Stringer and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Concrete and Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1953 |
| Traffic Count | 25 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | X13.6 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 13.6 |
| Significance | Minimal Significance |
| Documentation Date | 1/28/2017 |
In 1870, the Kansas City and Santa Fe Railroad and Telegraph Company (KCSFRT) began construction on a 32 mile railroad line between Olathe, Kansas and North Ottawa, Kansas. In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) continued construction of the line westwards towards Newton, Kansas. In 1879, the Cowley, Sumner and Fort Smith Railroad (CS&FS) completed a disconnected segment, 44 miles in length, between Mulvane, Kansas and Caldwell, Kansas. In 1882, the Kansas City and Olathe Railroad completed a 10 mile line, connecting Olathe to Holliday, Kansas; where an existing ATSF mainline had previously been constructed. This route would immediately be leased to the Southern Kansas Railway (SK). The CS&FS would be consolidated into the Wichita and Southwestern Railway (W&SW) in 1882. In 1883 and 1884, the ATSF would construct an additional 54 miles of railroad for the Kansas City and Emporia Railroad (KC&E) from North Ottawa to Emporia, Kansas. The KCSFRT was sold several times, eventually becoming part of the SK in 1885. The KC&E would also become part of the SK in 1885. In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas & Western Railway (CK&W) constructed an additional 20 miles from Mulvane to Augusta, Kansas, as well as a short segment from Ellinor to Bazaar, Kansas. The CK&W was leased by the ATSF in 1889. The W&SW and SK would be leased by the ATSF in 1899, and all three railroads were consolidated into the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in 1901.
The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number
of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in
Kansas and Oklahoma. This line served as a portion of the principal mainline between Chicago, Kansas City and the West Coast. In addition, this line connected to numerous other ATSF lines, and would quickly become one of the heaviest used lines in Kansas. The entire line from Holliday to Ellinor was double tracked between 1905 and 1910. In 1922, the Eldorado & Santa Fe Railway would complete a connection between El Dorado, Kansas and Bazaar, Kansas. This railroad would be consolidated into the ATSF in 1942. The ATSF would merge with Burlington Northern Railroad in 1996 to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line. The Holliday to Wellington segment of this line is operated as the Emporia Subdivision.
Located near the railroad junction of Holliday, this steel stringer bridge crosses Wilder Road. Built in 1953, the bridge consists of a 32-foot steel stringer span, set onto concrete piers and approached by timber pile trestle spans on either side. The bridge was fabricated by Ryerson & Son Company of Chicago, a relatively obscure firm that is known to have built a handful of bridges for railroads. The bridge utilizes a ballast deck, typical for ATSF bridges. The bridge carries the westbound mainline of the Emporia Subdivision, which serves as a bypass of Holliday Junction. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being minimally significant, due to the newer age.
Citations
| Builder and build date | Plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |