UP Jack Creek Bridge

Heron Lake, Jackson County, Minnesota

Default pic
Looking north
Looking north
Overview
Overview
North span
South span
South abutment
Center span
Overview
Looking north
South pier
Floor details
Looking north
Looking north
North pier
Looking north
Bearing block

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Default Pic
Looking north
Looking north
Overview
Overview
North span
South span
South abutment
Center span
Overview
Looking north
South pier
Floor details
Looking north
Looking north
North pier
Looking north
Bearing block
1/18
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Caption:
Name UP Jack Creek Bridge
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge #655
Built By Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway
Currently Owned By Union Pacific Railroad
Superstructure Contractor Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota
Substructure Contractor Unknown
Length 138 Feet Total, 60 Foot Main Span
Width 1 Track
Height Above Ground 10 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design Through Plate Girder
Substructure Design Concrete
Date Built 1910
Traffic Count 5 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status In Use
Chicago & North Western Railway Bridge Number 655
Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number 161.33
Significance Local Significance
Documentation Date 4/22/2012
In 1865, the Minnesota Valley Railway Company began construction on a new railroad line between Mendota, Minnesota and St. James, Minnesota. The first 22 miles would be completed between Mendota and Merriam Junction in 1865, followed by 17 more miles to Belle Plaine in 1866, 16 additional miles to Le Sueur in 1867, 12 additional miles to Kasota in 1868, and 22 additional miles to Lake Crystal, Minnesota in 1869. Also in 1869, the Minnesota Valley would complete 5 additional miles from Mendota to St. Paul. In 1870, the Minnesota Valley would be purchased by the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad (StP&SC). 22 additional miles to St. James 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.
In 1881, the StP&SC would be sold to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway (CStPM&O), also known as the Omaha Road. The Omaha Road would come under control of the Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW) the next year. This route became the main line of the Western District of the Omaha Road. The Omaha Road would formally be merged into the C&NW in 1959. The C&NW would be purchased by the Union Pacific in 1995, which still operates the St. James to Le Mars segment as the Worthington Subdivision. The line continues to carry steady traffic.

Located near Heron Lake, this large through girder bridge carries the former Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway over Jack Creek alongside Minnesota Highway 60. The first bridge at this location was a timber pile trestle. During the early portion of the 20th Century, the Omaha Road spent significant capital upgrading this route, including replacing timber bridges with steel structures. In 1910, the original trestle bridge would be replaced with the present bridge. The bridge consists of a 60-foot through plate girder span, approached by two 38-foot 9-inch through plate girder spans on the south end. The entire bridge is set onto concrete substructures. The 60-foot span uses a standard C&NW/Omaha Road design, with a traditionally composed floor and rounded and tapered ends. The approach spans also use a standard design, but use squared ends and shallower girders. Minneapolis Steel & Machinery Company fabricated the superstructure, while an unknown contractor constructed the substructure. Through plate girder spans were commonly used by railroads, as they were durable and easy to construct. 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 Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway Valuation Engineering Field Notes at the National Archives
Railroad History Citation ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele