Claim to fame: bridge was closed to automobile traffic after kids playing with matches set the structure on fire.

The CSAH-34 bridge was closed to traffic in the mid-1980's after kids playing with matches lit the structure on fire. The highway part of the bridge was deemed too expensive to fix, but the railroad part was saved and is still in operation. Given the proximity of the I-35W river crossing and the then planned Bloomington Ferry Bridge, this river crossing is seen as unneeded, so no new bridge has been proposed.

This rail line was known as the Dan Patch Line when it was built in the early 1900's. Dan Patch was a famous local race horse that broke the 2-minute mile barrier, a feat that was unmatched for 50 years. Dan Patch was owned by M. W. Savage. The city of Savage is named after this famous horseman. Savage also founded the International Stock Food Company was well as this railroad.

Today, the rail line is operated by the Canadian Pacific Railroad. While the rail route is still intact, there has not been a train run over this bridge in at least 10 years. The swing span is locked in the open position to allow river navigation traffic to pass.

A gate now blocks off the road leading to this former Minnesota River crossing. The entrance road has been made into a cul du sac, lined with very expensive townhomes.

A dead end sign left over from the period after the bridge fire, but before the road was blocked off and turned into a cul du sac.

A view of the entrance road to the bridge. It is still in relatively good condition despite 15 years of disuse. The trees and grass are starting to take over. Notice the guard rail off in the weeds.

A view of the railroad track as it descends the river bluffs down to the bridge. This line is no longer heavily used. In fact, local railfans tell me that there has not been a train on this bridge since the late 1990's.

A stop sign on a rail road line is an unusual site. The bridge is maintained in the open position all the time except when a train is coming. That allows water traffic to move freely, and the occasional trains are handled manually. Note the red device sitting on the rail towards the left side of the photo. That is a derailer device. If a train fails to stop, this metal device will kick the train off of the track rather than letting it plunge into the river.

Here is a view of the north approach to the bridge, looking where the traffic lanes once paralleled the rail line. The traffic lanes were a wooden and steel structure hung off of the side of the bridge. The rail section of the bridge is mostly steel. When the bridge burned, the traffic lanes were mostly destroyed, but the rail line was relatively undamaged. The traffic lanes were removed, and the rail line was repaired.

The gate on Vernon Road leading to the south end of the bridge. The bridge is still about a half mile beyond this point. The rail line that crosses the bridge parallel this road just off to the left side of the photo. The rail line that crosses the road in this photo is a main line track that runs east and west through Savage. It crosses under the tracks that lead to the bridge.

Here is an aerial photo of the Normandale river crossing taken from Google Earth. The view is from an altitude of about 6000 feet. Highway 13, the main highway through Savage, runs along the bottom of the photo.

Here is a clip from a 1987 Official Twin Cities highway map. The map shows the Normandale Crossing where CSAH-34 crosses the Minnesota River inside the black circle. Press here to view the complete map.

Here are two views from maps.live.com, the photo above is looking north, while the photo below is looking east.

Two more views from maps.live.com, the photo above is looking south, while the photo below is looking west. Both photos appear to be taken during the spring given that leaves have not come out yet, and the water level is high.