BNSF Walnut River Bridge (South)

Located alongside US Highway 77, this through truss bridge is the southern BNSF crossing of the Walnut River in Winfield. The bridge was initially built in 1904, and utilized a 149-foot 6-panel pin-connected Pratt through truss, approached by timber pile trestle spans on either end. In 1919, a second track was added to the west side of the bridge, and in 1922, the approaches of the original track were reconstructed. The new approaches utilized a 70-foot deck plate girder on either side of the truss, along with a 30-foot steel stringer span on the south side and two 16-foot concrete slab spans on the north side. The bridge was set onto new concrete and concrete pile substructures. The south span was replaced by a concrete modular girder span in approximately 1995. The second track was constructed using nearly identical spans, which was common during double tracking along this line. The truss span utilizes a standard ATSF design, including laced members, pinned connections and a double intersection lattice portal bracing with subdivided heel bracing. This design of truss was extensively used by the ATSF from approximately 1898 until approximately 1910, as it provided a cost effective and durable design to cross larger obstacles. Several additional examples of this design of truss can be found throughout Kansas. The west track of the bridge was removed between 1956 and 1981, and the spans were possibly reused elsewhere. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The joints and connections have been repaired by cleaning, repairing and painting; a common repair technique used by the ATSF. The author has ranked this bridge as being moderately significant, due to the truss design.