BNSF Smoky Hill River Bridge (Enterprise)

Name	BNSF Smoky Hill River Bridge (Enterprise) Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #52.4
Built By	Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
Currently Owned By	BNSF Railway
Superstructure Contractor	American Bridge Company of New York
Length	320 Feet Total, 103 Foot Spans
Width	1 Track
Height Above Ground	25 Feet (Estimated)
Superstructure Design	Through Plate Girder and Concrete Modular Girder
Substructure Design	Stone Masonry and Steel Pile
Date Built	1911, Approaches Rebuilt c. 2000
Traffic Count	5 Trains/Day (Estimated)
Current Status	In Use
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number	52.4
BNSF Railway Bridge Number	52.4
Significance	Local Significance
Documentation Date	12/31/2019

In 1886, the Chicago, Kansas & Western Railway (CK&W) began construction on a new railroad, 163 miles in length. The new line would connect to an existing Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF) line at Gladstone, Kansas, and extend to Superior, Nebraska. The line was completed in 1888. The CK&W would be acquired by the ATSF in 1889, but did not formally convey the property to the ATSF until 1901. The ATSF was reorganized as the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1895. The segment between Gladstone and Strong City would be abandoned prior to 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 a connection between the existing mainlines in central Kansas and additional branch lines in northern Kansas. The ATSF would merge with Burlington Northern Railroad in 1996 to form BNSF Railway, the current owner of this line. The line between Strong City and Lost Springs, Kansas would be abandoned in 2005. The remainder of this route is currently operated as the Strong City Subdivision.

Located in Enterprise, this through girder bridge crosses the Smoky Hill River. The previous bridge at this location was a timber Howe truss. In 1911, the bridge would be replaced by a pair of 103-foot "class C" through plate girder spans, reusing the old stone piers. Timber pile trestle approaches would be constructed on either end of the bridge. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. The piers appear to be constructed of a yellow limestone, possibly quarried nearby. The trestle approaches were replaced by concrete modular girders in approximately 2000. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.

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

BNSF Smoky Hill River Bridge (Enterprise)

Enterprise, Dickinson County, Kansas