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| Name | UP Woodland Avenue Bridge Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #422 1/2 |
| Built By | Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (South Track) Chicago & North Western Railway (North Track) |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Des Moines Steel Company of Des Moines, Iowa (South Track) Unknown (North Track) |
| Length | 72 Feet Total, 30 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Steel Stringer and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | c. 1930 |
| Traffic Count | 15 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | Open to Traffic |
| 422 1/2 (South Track) M-1604 (North Track) |
|
| 87.50 | |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 11/12/2011 |
In 1865, the Minnesota Valley Railway Company (MVR) began construction on a new railroad line between Mendota, Minnesota and St. James, Minnesota. In 1865, the first 22 miles were completed between Mendota, Minnesota and Merriam Junction, Minnesota; followed by 17 additional miles to Belle Plaine, Minnesota in 1866. In 1867, the MVR completed an additional 16 miles to Le Sueur, Minnesota; followed by 12 additional miles to Kasota, Minnesota in 1868. In 1869, the MVR completed an additional 22 miles to Lake Crystal, Minnesota. The same year, an additional 5 miles would be completed between St. Paul, Minnesota and Mendota. In 1870, the MVR would be purchased by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC). 22 additional miles to St. James, Minnesota would be completed in 1870. The StP&SC completed 58 more miles from St. James to Worthington, Minnesota in 1871; and 64 additional miles to Le Mars, Iowa were completed in 1872. At Le Mars, the route connected to an existing railroad, over which the StP&SC used trackage rights to reach Sioux City, Iowa.
In 1881, the StP&SC would be sold to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (Omaha Road). The Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) the next year. The C&NW had developed a large network of railroad lines in the Midwest, with the Omaha Road serving as the northern extent of the company. This route became the main line of the Western District of the Omaha Road. Several improvements were made to the line in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Between 1898 and 1906, several sections of the line were realigned between Blakeley, Minnesota and Mankato. In 1957, the C&NW leased the Omaha Road, and the C&NW purchased the company in 1972. The C&NW was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1995. UP still operates the St. Paul to St. James segment as the Mankato Subdivision and the St. James to Sioux City segment as the Worthington Subdivision. The line remains a mainline for UP, connecting St. Paul to Sioux City and providing UP with a mainline into the Twin Cities.
Located on the southwest side of Mankato, this steel stringer bridge carries the former Chicago & North Western Railway/Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway over Woodland Avenue near Sibley Park. Little is known about the history of this bridge. It is believed that the bridge was constructed in approximately 1930 to eliminate a busy grade crossing. The bridge consists of a 30-foot deck plate girder span, approached by timber pile trestle spans on either end and set onto timber piles. The two tracks use different designs, with the south track using six beams arranged in two sets of three, while the north track uses six evenly spaced beams. A missing plaque on the south track span indicates it was fabricated by the Des Moines Steel Company, while a missing plaque on the north track suggests it may have been fabricated by successor Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company. This type of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it is easy to construct and economical. In 1987, the nearby Blue Earth River bridge was replaced, and a new single track bridge constructed immediately north of this bridge. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to poor condition, with significant deterioration to the timber components. The bridge now serves as a yard lead to a large soybean plant. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Builder | Missing Des Moines Steel Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |