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UP - Hoffman Swing Bridge

Ramsey County, Minnesota, and Dakota County, Minnesota

Photos 

Photo taken by Nick Benson

View this photo on Flickr

BH Photo #241267

Map 

Description 

The St. Paul Bridge & Terminal Railway built the bridge between 1909 and 1910. It was leased to the Chicago Great Western in 1935. The CGW merged with the Chicago & North Western in 1968, and the bridge became Union Pacific property when it purchased the C&NW in 1995.

Facts 

Overview
Warren through truss bridge over Mississippi River on Union Pacific Railroad
Location
St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, and Dakota County, Minnesota
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built 1909-10 for St. Paul Bridge & Terminal Railway
Railroads
- Chicago & North Western Railway (CNW)
- Chicago Great Western Railway (CGW)
- St. Paul Bridge & Terminal Railway (StPB&T)
- Union Pacific Railroad (UP)
Design
Warren through truss center pivot swing span with pratt truss and deck plate girder approaches.
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 401.0 ft.
Total length: 1,275.0 ft.
Also called
UP - Mississippi River Bridge
CGW - Mississippi River Bridge
CGW - Hoffman Swing Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.91883, -93.05013   (decimal degrees)
44°55'08" N, 93°03'00" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/496043/4973934 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Saint Paul East
Inventory number
BH 53749 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

7-panel truss (354)
A-frame portal (408)
Built 1910 (1,074)
Built during 1910s (9,082)
Chicago & North Western Railway (1,258)
Chicago Great Western Railway (179)
County line crossing (464)
Dakota County, Minnesota (24)
Deck girder (4,897)
Girder (8,835)
Minnesota (1,390)
Mississippi River (208)
Movable (2,795)
Navigable waterway (2,085)
Open (37,872)
Owned by railroad (10,780)
Pin-connected (3,634)
 Plate girder (6,732)
Pratt through truss (4,787)
Pratt truss (8,348)
Railroad (14,137)
Ramsey County, Minnesota (71)
Riveted (1,992)
Span length 250-500 feet (1,094)
St. Paul Bridge & Terminal Railway (1)
St. Paul, Minnesota (58)
Swing (1,337)
Through truss (13,562)
Total length 1000-2500 feet (1,716)
Truss (30,505)
Union Pacific Railroad (2,119)
Warren through truss (1,521)
Warren truss (6,001)

Update Log 

  • April 4, 2018: New photos from John Marvig
  • October 31, 2017: Updated by Alexander D. Mitchell IV: Expanded history
  • March 28, 2014: New photos from John Marvig
  • October 9, 2012: Photo imported by Luke Harden
  • October 4, 2012: New photos from John Marvig
  • October 3, 2012: Photo imported by Luke Harden
  • October 3, 2012: Added by John Marvig

Sources 

  • John Marvig - marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com
  • Alexander D. Mitchell IV
  • Douglas Butler
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Comments 

UP - Hoffman Swing Bridge
Posted December 15, 2017, by John Marvig (marvigj27 [at] gmail [dot] com)

http://trn.trains.com/~/media/images/news-wire/2017/10-octob...

Looks like this bridge took some serious damage from the collision earlier this fall...

Hoffman Swing Bridge
Posted June 1, 2013, by John Marvig (johnmarvig [at] chaska [dot] net)

Here is a picture of the bridge under construction and the bridge at a later date, prior to the use of diesel engines

Hoffman Swing Bridge
Posted March 31, 2013, by John Marvig (johnmarvig [at] chaska [dot] net)

The Swing Span does look newer. Never noticed that before.

The span was not likely renovated in 1982, as a lift span would have likely been put in instead. So I cannot say when it was renovated. The historic aerial photos of the area are poor quality.

Wikipedia gives the dates of rehabilitation of 1925, 1951 and 1982. I would put my money on the last date though. It is odd, especially for this area, that a bridge built in 1910 wouldn't last until this date.

Odd case.

Hoffman Swing Bridge
Posted March 30, 2013, by Nathan Holth (form3 [at] historicbridges [dot] org)

The approach spans may date to 1910, but the main swing span is clearly new. Anyone know the exact year? John Week's website says work was done many times, most recently in 1982, but I am not sure what date the swing span was replaced.