Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | Future Flint Hills Nature Trail - Old US-56 Bridge |
| Built By | Missouri Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Morris County |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Substructure Contractor | Industrial Construction Company of St. Louis, Missouri |
| Length | 226 Feet Total, 70 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1931 |
| Traffic Count | 0 Trains/Day (Bridge is Abandoned) |
| Current Status | Abandoned, Awaiting Future Trail Development |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 3/4/2017 |
In 1879, the St. Louis, Kansas and Arizona Railway (StLK&A) would construct a 21 mile branch, extending from Osawatomie, Kansas to Ottawa, Kansas. In 1880, the railroad was consolidated into the Missouri Pacific Railway (MP). In 1886, the Council Grove, Osage City & Ottawa Railway (CGOC&O) constructed an additional 70 miles to Council Grove, Kansas. At the same time, the Topeka, Salina and Western Railroad (TS&W) constructed an additional 71 miles to Salina, Kansas. In 1887, the Kansas & Colorado Railroad (K&C) completed an additional 126 miles to Ness County, the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railway (DM&A) completed 139 additional miles to the Colorado State Line, and the Pueblo and State Line Railroad (P&SL) constructed an additional 152 miles to Pueblo, Colorado. The CGOC&O, TS&W, K&C and DM&A were all consolidated to form the Kansas and Colorado Pacific Railway (K&CP), which would be consolidated with the P&SL and merged into the MP in 1909. MP had amassed a large collection of railroad lines, particularly in Missouri and Kansas. This line served as a secondary mainline, serving agricultural industries in Kansas and Colorado. The railroad reorganized to the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1917. The MP was merged into the Union Pacific Railroad in 1982. A portion of the line from Geneseo, Kansas to Towner, Colorado was sold to the Kansas Southwestern Railway (KSW) in 1991. A segment of the line between Geneseo and Hope, Kansas was abandoned the same year. In 1994, the segment from Herington, Kansas to Osawatomie, Kansas was abandoned, and acquired for future trail use. The Pueblo to Towner segment was sold to the State of Colorado, which is currently operated by the Colorado Pacific Railway. The KSW was merged into the Central Kansas Railway in 2000, which was acquired by the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad in 2001. The K&O continues to operate the Geneseo to Towner segment of this line. Union Pacific operates the Herington to Hope segment, as well as a short segment in Salina. The Osawatomie to Herington segment is currently being converted to the Flint Hills Nature Trail, with some portions of the trail now open.
Located west of Delavan, this deck plate girder bridge carries the future Flint Hills Nature Trail across a former alignment of US Highway 56. The bridge was constructed in 1931, and consists of a 70-foot deck plate girder span, approached by four concrete slab spans on either end. The entire bridge utilizes a ballast deck, runs at a skew, and the concrete piers are a typical construction for the era. In addition, the piers at the end of the girder span are constructed in a triangular design, meant to account for the skew of the bridge. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The highway underneath this bridge was realigned to the east in 2002, instead cutting through the former railroad grade. The bridge still stands, and may one day carry the Flint Hills Nature Trail. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair condition, with no significant deterioration noted in the structure. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |