Name | OTVR Otter Tail River Bridge Great Northern Railway Bridge #186.6 |
Built By | Great Northern Railway |
Currently Owned By | Otter Tail Valley Railroad |
Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
Length | 242 Feet Total, 48 Foot Spans |
Width | 2 Tracks (1 In Use) |
Height Above Ground | 10 Feet (Estimated) |
Superstructure Design | Deck Plate Girder |
Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
Date Built | 1911 |
Traffic Count | 2 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
Current Status | In Use |
Great Northern Railway Bridge Number | 186.6 |
Significance | Local Significance |
Documentation Date | 3/29/2013 |
In 1872, the The St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company (StP&P) constructed 35 miles of new railroad, extending from St. Cloud, Minnesota to Melrose, Minnesota. The line would be extended an additional 31 miles to Alexandria in 1878, and an additional 77 miles to Barnesville the following year. At Barnesville, the railroad connected to a previously constructed line, which reached the International Border at Noyes, Minnesota. At the end of 1879, the StP&P was sold to the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway (StPM&M). The StPM&M was controlled by railroad magnate James J. Hill, who sought to build a vast railroad network between the Twin Cities and the West Coast. In 1880, the Barnesville & Moorhead Railway Company completed an additional 23 miles between Barnesville and Moorhead. The railroad was promptly purchased by the StPM&M. The StPM&M was sold to another Hill controlled railroad, the Great Northern Railway (GN) in 1907.
The GN utilized this route as a mainline, connecting the Twin Cities to Fargo and points west. In 1970, GN merged with rival Northern Pacific Railway and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad to form Burlington Northern Railroad (BN). By 1981, the BN preferred the parallel former Northern Pacific route, which was built for double track. As a result, the segment from Collegeville to Avon was abandoned, and sold for future trail use. In 1986, BN sold the remainder of the line from Moorhead to Avon to the Otter Tail Valley Railroad (OTVR). OTVR operated the route until 1991, when the line between Avon and Fergus Falls was abandoned and acquired for future trail use. BN was merged with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in 1996, to form BNSF Railway. BNSF abandoned the segment between Collegeville and St. Joseph in 2002, and leased the St. Cloud to St. Joseph segment to Northern Lines Railroad. Today, OTVR continues to operate the Moorhead to Fergus Falls segment of this line, while Northern Lines operates the remaining stub to St. Joseph. The railroad from St. Joseph to Osakis has been turned into the Lake Wobegon Trail, and the line from Osakis to Fergus Falls has been turned into the Central Lakes Trail.
Located along Lincoln Avenue in Fergus Falls, this large deck plate girder bridge crosses the Otter Tail River. Built in 1911, the bridge features five 48-foot deck plate girder spans, set onto stone substructures. Various concrete repairs have been made to the substructures, and the piers are almost completely submerged in water. This style 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 fair condition, with no critical defects noted. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
Build Date | Great Northern Fergus Falls Division Bridge Index, located at the Minnesota Historical Society |
Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |