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| Name | UP Blue River Bridge #2 Missouri Pacific Railroad Bridge #2973 |
| Built By | Missouri Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Substructure Contractor | L.G. Barcus Company of Kansas City, Kansas |
| Length | 295 Feet Total, 70 Foot Largest Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1954 |
| Traffic Count | 20 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Missouri Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 2973 |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 297.27 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 2/25/2017 |
In 1879, the St. Louis, Kansas & Arizona Railway (StLK&A) constructed a 58 mile railroad line, extending from Paola, Kansas south towards Le Roy, Kansas. In 1880, the railroad was consolidated into the Missouri Pacific Railway (MP). In 1886, the Verdigris Valley, Independence & Western Railroad (VVI&W) completed an additional 81 miles to Dearing, Kansas; west of Coffeyville. The same year, the Kansas City & Southwestern Railway (KC&SW) and the Kansas City & Southwestern Railway of Missouri (KC&SWM) constructed an additional 68 miles of railroad from Paola to Kansas City, Missouri. VVI&W would be merged into the MP controlled Kansas & Colorado Pacific Railway (K&CP) in 1891, and all three railroads would be merged into the Missouri Pacific Railway in 1909. MP had amassed a large collection of railroad lines, particularly in
Missouri and Kansas. This line served as a mainline, serving as the primary route through eastern Kansas. Significant line changes south of Kansas City were made in 1956, to improve grades and curves along the line. The railroad
reorganized to the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1917. The MP was merged
into the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1982. Today, Union Pacific continues to operate this line as the Coffeyville Subdivision.
View an article describing the reconstruction of this line
Located near the Martin City neighborhood of Kansas City, this deck plate girder bridge is the southern of two identical crossings of the Blue River in the area. Built in 1954 as the Missouri Pacific realigned the route between Dodson and Martin City, the bridge consists of a 70-foot and two 60-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete substructures and approached by a pair of 22-foot concrete slab spans on either end. The substructure of the bridge was reportedly constructed by L.G. Barcus Company, who took the contract after the original contractor, George Bennett Construction Company of Kansas City, Missouri failed the construct the bridges for unknown reasons. The superstructures were fabricated by an unknown steel fabricator. The deck plate girder spans are heavy and use a ballast deck, typical of spans from this era. The slab approaches use true solid slabs, which appear to have been constructed separate from the substructures. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Date stamp |
| Builder (substructure) | Railway Age; Volume 138, Issue 23 |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |