MN Valley Railroad Bridge (Backchannel)
Minnesota River Railroad Crossing
Morton, MN

Minnesota Valley Railroad Bridge (Backchannel)

• Structure ID: N/A.
• Location: River Mile 203.5.
• River Elevation: 815 Feet.
• Railroad: Minnesota Prairie Line.
• Daily Traffic Count: 1 Train Per Day (Estimated).
• Bridge Type: Wood Trestle.
• Length: ??? Feet.
• Width: 1 Track.
• Navigation Channel Width: Non-Navigable.
• Height Above Water: ??? Feet.
• Date Built: ???.
The Minnesota Valley Railroad Bridge consists of two bridges crossing the main channel of the Minnesota River and a backchannel known as Sulphur Lake. This page covers the Sulphur Lake crossing. I have found little about this bridge so far. The main channel span appears to date from the 1883/1884 era. I do not have any date information on the Sulphur Lake crossing.

The backchannel bridge is little more than a railroad trestle. Sulphur Lake has never been navigable, so there is no need to provide a span or even place for a boat to cross under the structure.

What is interesting about this location is that there are five bridges within a half-mile of each other, all with the goal of crossing the Minnesota River. Despite the common mission, we find 5 different bridge styles. We have a short but wide through truss, and long and narrow through truss bridge, a prestressed concrete bridge, a steel girder bridge, and this wooden trestle structure.


Minnesota Valley Railroad Bridge (Backchannel)

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Photo and text by John A. Weeks III, Copyright © 2008, all rights reserved.
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