BNSF - Lexington Avenue Overpass

Well, that branch came and went quickly. I found a map showing the crossing and based on your evidence I'll add the bridge and put it as related.

https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Maps/Histori...

Clark,

I have attached the information I used to find the original location of this bridge. This is the only truss that matches the given dimensions and year (100' built in 1907) on the entire system, despite being labeled a through truss. It also appears to be one of, if not the only pony truss on the ATSF system. If you look east of US-50, near where the levee curves, you can clearly see piers for a four span bridge. I believe this branch line was abandoned in the late 1930s, and according to:

https://www.labellemodels.com/manuals/Atchison,%20Topeka%20&...

was built between 1906 and 1908 as a short connecting route.

Going back to the 1894/1948 topo, the ATSF doesn't cross the Arkansas anywhere near Los Animas. Just east of town it crosses the Purgatoire River. Should we assume this was the original location?

Yes, the Kill Creek Crossing does make sense as a potential former location of this bridge. It makes even more sense when you consider the mismatched spans that are currently crossing Kill Creek.

Nick and Robert,

I had assumed that this bridge was relocated from Kill Creek, also in the town of De Soto. There are parallel tracks with an identical length through girder built a year later from the pony truss, as well as a "frankenbridge" of girders built in 1940.

Railroads were notorious for moving bridges around. I would not be at all surprised if this bridge was built somewhere else in 1907 and moved to this location sometime around the construction of the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. It looks like a circa 1907 bridge to me.

plaque clearly indicates that at least the CONSTRUCTION of this bridge (not PLACEMENT) was 1907, 2nd posting really of this plaque info

While I don't know for a fact, I am going to suggest the 1907 construction date on this bridge may be inaccurate even though the NBI says 1907. For a few reasons, firstly, K10 (early days) was originally aligned further north on what is now known as Penner Ave (83rd) and ran through downtown Desoto, this can clearly be seen on any map. On this road, the rails go under an old highway bridge built in 1948 that I just added to the site. Secondly, this branch line was originally installed to serve the Sunflower Army Ammo plant, which in turn was built in 1941-42 at the start of WW2. So, there are those two reasons why I think its much younger, Lexington Ave (second gen K10) probably didn't exist then, and its possible that the rail line wasn't added until seven years after. This of course I can't confirm due to lack of aerials or general information.

There is a third option, the NBI could be a typo, 1947? perhaps, this would put it inline with the other highway bridge being constructed at the same time in 1947-48. Or again, could have been built in 1907 and relocated from elsewhere.

On another note, the bridge, Lexington Ave, and its rail line are all present in the 1959 aerial image. However, the first appearance of the line and the new road doesn't appear till the 1952 topo and was not present coming off the main line in 1950.

While I have a editors account here, I can't find anything by googling info about the bridge to make an accurate edit. If anyone can confirm and update the build date, that would be great.

This Railroad bridge is not Abondoned. Trains still cross this bridge about twice a week. Although Trains no longer cross this bridge to the old Sunflower Ammo plant, Trains still cross to deliver Freight cars to industry plants.