Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | BNSF Park River Bridge Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge #145.4 |
| Built By | Burlington Northern Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | American Bridge Company of New York |
| Length | 150 Feet Total, 60 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 1 Track |
| Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Through Plate Girder and Timber Pile Trestle |
| Substructure Design | Timber Pile |
| Date Built | 1974 Using a Span Fabricated 1929 |
| Original Location | Unknown Bridge near Spokane, Washington |
| Traffic Count | 1 Train/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge Number | 145.4 |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 145.4 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/10/2020 |
In 1886, the Duluth and Manitoba Railroad Company began construction on 201 miles of new railroad, extending from Manitoba Junction, east of Hawley, Minnesota; to the Canadian border north of Pembina, North Dakota. Construction would be completed the following year. By 1898, the Duluth and Manitoba would be sold to the Northern Pacific Railway (NP), which had built and acquired a large amount of railroad lines in Minnesota. The NP operated this as a secondary route, connecting the grain markets of northwest Minnesota, northeast North Dakota and Winnipeg to the Twin Cities. In 1970, NP would merge with rival Great Northern Railway and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). The segment from Carthage Junction, Minnesota to Crookston would be abandoned in 1973, in favor of the parallel former Great Northern route to the south. In 1980, the segment between Joliette and Pembina would be abandoned, with further abandonments coming in 1983 between Honeyford, North Dakota and East Grand Forks; and Ulen and Fertile, Minnesota. 1996, BN merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to form BNSF Railway. BNSF would promptly sell the Crookston to Fertile segment to the Minnesota Northern Railroad, which abandoned the line later in 1996. In 2001, the segment between Honeyford and Voss was sold to the Mohall Central Railroad, which operated the route with the Northern Plains Railroad (NPR). In 2006, the segment between Grafton and Voss would be abandoned. Today, BNSF operates the Manitoba Junction to Ulen segment as part of the Staples Subdivision, and the Grafton to Joliette segment as the Drayton Subdivision. NPR continues to operate the Honeyford to Voss segment as the Gilby Subdivision. The Crookston to Ulen segment is now part of the Agassiz Recreational Trail.
Located in Grafton, this through plate girder bridge crosses the Park River. Built in 1974 to replace an older wooden trestle bridge, the bridge consists of a single 60-foot through plate girder span, set onto timber pile piers. This span was originally fabricated in 1929 by American Bridge Company, and was reused from an unknown location. The bridge is approached by timber trestle spans on either end. This design of bridge was commonly used by railroads throughout the United States, as it was durable and easy to construct. Often, railroads would reuse spans from mainlines on branch lines, as it was an economical way to replace older bridges. Stenciling on the bridge indicates the bridge was reused from a location near Spokane. Burlington Northern completed a significant amount of realignments in the Spokane area during this time, both along former Northern Pacific Railway and Great Northern Railway routes. As a result, it is currently unknown where the bridge was reused from or which railroad originally built the span. 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.
Citations
| Builder and build date | American Bridge Company plaque |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |