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| Name | BNSF East Emma Creek Bridge Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #191.12 |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 112 Feet Total, 56 Foot Spans |
| Width | 2 Tracks, 1 In Use |
| Height Above Ground | 15 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1907 |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 191B |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 191.12 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/29/2017 |
In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) constructed 74 miles of new railroad, extending from Emporia, Kansas to Newton, Kansas. The following year, an additional 283 miles to the Colorado State Line would be completed, followed by an additional 11 miles to Granada, Colorado by the Colorado & New Mexico Railroad (C&NM) the following year. An additional 140 miles to Pueblo, Colorado would be completed by the Pueblo & Arkansas Valley Railroad (P&AV) in 1876. The ATSF would be reorganized as the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1895. The ATSF leased both the C&NM and the P&AV railroad, and they were eventually consolidated into the ATSF in 1900. The ATSF had acquired and constructed a large number of railroad lines throughout the western United States, particularly in Kansas and Oklahoma. This line served as the principal mainline between Kansas City and the Pacific Coast. Portions of the line would be double tracked in the early 1900s, including the Emporia to Ellinor segment. The ATSF would merge with Burlington Northern Railroad in 1996 to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line. The Ellinor to La Junta segment of this line is operated as the La Junta Subdivision.
Located east of Halstead, this deck plate girder bridge crosses East Emma Creek. Built in 1907, the bridge consists of a pair of double track "Class AA" deck plate girder spans, set onto concrete substructures. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The Class AA design is one of a number of standard designs developed by the ATSF. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the 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 |