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| Name | Fort Scott Railroad Bridge |
| Built By | Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway |
| Currently Owned By | City of Fort Scott |
| Superstructure Contractor | King Bridge Company of Cleveland, Ohio |
| Length | 316 Feet Total, 190 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 25 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Parker Through Truss and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1910 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned) |
| Current Status | Abandoned |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/3/2017 |
In 1871, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway (MKT) constructed 54 miles of new railroad, extending from Parsons, Kansas to the Kansas/Missouri Border near Fort Scott, Kansas. At the same time, the Tebo and Neosho Railroad Company (T&N) constructed an additional 111 miles, connecting the MKT near Fort Scott with Sedalia, Missouri. The T&N would be acquired by the MKT the following year. The MKT continued to expand into Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri during the
1870s and 1880s, eventually becoming a relatively large system in the
southern Great Plains States. This line made up a portion of the principal mainline for the MKT, which extended from Machens (near St. Louis, Missouri) to Denison, Texas. In 1923, the MKT reorganized as the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. In 1988, the MKT was merged into Union
Pacific Railroad (UP). By 1991, Union Pacific had decided to abandon this line, and the segment from Parsons to Fort Scott, and from Clinton to Sedalia would be abandoned. The Sedalia to Clinton segment would be acquired for trail use, and has since become part of the Katy Trail. In 1992, the remaining segment from Fort Scott to Clinton would be sold to the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad (MNA). A segment between Fort Scott and a junction near the Kansas/Missouri Border would be abandoned in 1998. Today, MNA continues to operate the remaining segment of this line.
Located in Fort Scott, this large through truss bridge once carried the MKT mainline across the Marmaton River. Built in 1910 to replace an older truss, the bridge consists of a 190-foot 8-panel pin-connected Parker through truss span, set onto stone piers reused from the previous bridge. The bridge is approached by timber trestle on either side. The truss is heavily constructed, and utilizes a design identical to other bridges seen throughout the MKT system. These spans feature a polygonal top chord, laced members and a lattice portal. The truss span was fabricated by King Bridge Company, which fabricated several spans for the MKT. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted to the structural components of this bridge. The truss span in particular appears to be in decent condition. The bridge was abandoned in 1997, and it's future is uncertain. There have been talks of converting the bridge to a trail bridge. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.
Citations
| Build Date | Estimated based on identical spans |
| Builder | Missing King Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |