BNSF Sugar Creek Bridge (Iatan)

Name	BNSF Sugar Creek Bridge (Iatan) Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Bridge #41.12
Built By	Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
Currently Owned By	BNSF Railway
Superstructure Contractor	American Bridge Company of New York
Length	175 Feet Total, 98 Foot Main Span
Width	2 Tracks, 1 In Use
Height Above Ground	15 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Through Plate Girder and Concrete Modular Girder
Substructure Design	Timber Pile and Steel Pile
Date Built	c. 1945, Approaches Rebuilt 2014
Traffic Count	30 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Bridge Number	41.12
BNSF Railway Bridge Number	41.12
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	9/22/2018

In 1859, the Council Bluffs and St. Joseph Railroad Company (CB&StJ) began construction on 51 miles of new railroad, extending from Council Bluffs, Iowa to the Missouri State Line near Hamburg, Iowa. At the same time, the Platte County Railroad (PCR) began construction on 35 miles of new railroad, extending from St. Joseph, Missouri to Weston, Missouri. Work on this section was completed in 1861. In 1863, the Missouri Valley Railroad (MVR) began construction on an additional 25 miles of railroad, extending from North Kansas City to Winthrop, completing this segment in 1867. The same year, the MVR acquired the Platte County Railroad, and the CB&StJ began construction on an additional 81 miles of railroad, extending from the State Line to St. Joseph, Missouri. Work on the first section of the CB&StJ would be completed in 1868, and work on the second section would be completed in 1869. The MVR and CB&StJ consolidated to form the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad (KCStJ&CB) in 1870.

By 1901, railroads throughout the United States were consolidating. The KCStJ&CB would be acquired by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) in 1901. The CB&Q had acquired and constructed a large railroad network throughout the Midwest, and this route provided a direct connection between Kansas City and Council Bluffs/Omaha. Double tracking of the Napier to Kansas City segment of the line began in 1908, including segments from Kansas City to Waldron, Weston to Armour, St. Joseph to Nodaway and Curzions to Napier. Further double tracking would be completed in the 1910s and 1920s, including segments from Nodaway to Forbes in 1913, Forbes to Curzions in 1917, Waldron to Beverly in 1920, Beverly to Weston in 1922, and Iatan to St. Joseph segment at an unknown date. Much of the second track was removed in the late 1950s, after this segment of line became of reduced importance after the CB&Q constructed a new cutoff line from Brookfield to Kansas City. CB&Q merged with Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN) in 1970. In 1996, BN merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line. The North Kansas City to Napier segment forms the southern half of the St. Joseph Subdivision, and the Napier to Pacific Junction, Iowa segment forms the Napier Subdivision. The Pacific Junction to Council Bluffs segment of this line is part of the Council Bluffs Subdivision.

Located north of Iatan alongside Missouri Route 45, this through plate girder bridge crosses Short Creek. The previous bridge at this location was a 132-foot Pratt through truss span, fabricated in 1892. By the 1940s, the bridge had become too light for traffic. The current bridge is believed to have been constructed in approximately 1945. The bridge consists of a unique 98-foot and 32-foot through plate girder span, originally approached by wooden trestle spans on either end. In 2014, the wooden trestle spans would be replaced with concrete modular girder spans, and the bridge is set onto timber pile and steel pile substructures. The main span of the bridge utilizes a heavy skew. At the north end of the bridge, the west face of the bridge utilizes a 32-foot through girder span, and at the south end of the bridge, the bridge utilizes a girder of the same size. These girders are to account for the heavy skew seen throughout the bridge, and give the bridge a square appearance when viewed from above. It is currently unconfirmed if this span was originally constructed at this location, or if it was moved here after fabrication. Due to the unique design of the bridge and the angle of the channel below, it seems likely that the bridge was a special order for this location, possibly as part of a channelization project. The ends of the girders are square, a design often used by the CB&Q. The second track on the bridge was removed in 1958. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Overall, the bridge appears to be in good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

Builder	Missing American Bridge Company plaque
Railroad History Citation	ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele

BNSF Sugar Creek Bridge (Iatan)

Iatan, Platte County, Missouri