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| Name | BNSF Big Papillion Creek Bridge Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Bridge #23.57 |
| Built By | Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Shiffler Bridge Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Center Span) Pennsylvania Steel Company of Steelton, Pennsylvania (Outer Spans) |
| Length | 212 Feet Total, 60 Foot Spans |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 20 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1896, Erected 1905 (Center Span) 1911 (Outer Spans) |
| Original Location (Center Span) | Unknown |
| Traffic Count | 10 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Bridge Number | 23.57 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 23.57 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 10/7/2019 |
In 1869, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska (BMRN) would continue constructing westwards from Pacific Junction, reaching milepost 12. The following year, a 17 mile extension from Oreapolis, Nebraska north to Omaha would be made, and an additional 48 miles to Lincoln would be constructed from milepost 12. A permanent bridge across the Missouri River at Plattsmouth would be completed in 1880. Since 1880, the BMRN had been controlled by stock by the same interests
that controlled the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
(CB&Q). The CB&Q and associated ownership came in control or
constructed a large number of lines throughout Iowa and Nebraska. This route would serve as a piece of the planned Chicago to Denver mainline, which reached Denver in 1883. In 1885, the Omaha and South Western Railway constructed 4 miles of new railroad from Omaha, to South Omaha. In 1886, the Omaha and North Platte Railroad (O&NP) completed an additional 30 miles of railroad, extending from Omaha to Ashland, where it met the main line. The 4 miles constructed in 1885 were sold to the O&NP in 1887, and the O&NP sold to the BMRN in 1887. The BMRN was formally sold to the CB&Q in 1908, and CB&Q continued to operate these routes as parallel mainline, and a second track was added from Lincoln to Waverly in 1910, and Waverly to Ashland in 1918. CB&Q merged with Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway
to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). BN merged with Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996 to form BNSF Railway. BNSF continues to operate the Oreapolis-Omaha-Ashland line as the Omaha Subdivision, and the Pacific Junction to Lincoln segment as the Creston Subdivision.
Located north of Harrison Street in Ralston, this deck plate girder bridge crosses Big Papillion Creek. The first bridge here was likely a timber bridge. In 1905, a 60-foot deck plate girder span was installed on concrete piers, and likely approached by trestle. This span was originally fabricated in 1896 by the Shiffler Bridge Company, and was likely relocated here from an unknown bridge. An additional 60-foot deck plate girder span and a 16-foot concrete slab span were installed on each end in 1911, and set onto concrete substructures. Deck plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as they were durable and easy to construct. Concrete slab spans became popular in the 1910s as railroads sought a cost effective way to replace timber trestles. These spans were often cast at another location, and installed at the bridge with minimal interruption to traffic. The CB&Q constructed their spans at Holdredge, Nebraska.
The plaque on the center span of the bridge identifies it as having originally been constructed at "No. 10", possibly indicating that the bridge was relocated to this location. The Shiffler Bridge Company is a relatively obscure bridge builder, constructing a number of spans for the CB&Q during the mid-1890s. It is believed a number of spans were constructed along the line in Montana and Wyoming during this time. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the common design and uncommon builder.
Citations
| Builder and build date (center span) | Shiffler Bridge Company plaque |
| Builder and build date (east and spans) | Pennsylvania Steel Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |