Rating:
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Minnesota Valley State Trail - Chaska Swing Bridge

Carver County, Minnesota, and Scott County, Minnesota

Photos 

Chaska Swing Bridge

North Abutment

Photo taken by John Marvig in February 2011

Enlarge

BH Photo #252140

Map 

Description 

Swing span constructed 1900. Original north approach came from Kellogg, Minnesota (over the Zumbro River), and was originally fabricated 1886. Moved here 1905, replaced 1911 and sent to Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Facts 

Overview
Lost Pratt through truss bridge over Minnesota River on Chaska-Shakopee Trail
Location
Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota, and Scott County, Minnesota
Status
Removed
Future prospects
Removed 1996
History
Built 1900, Approach Replaced 1905 and again in 1911; Removed August 1996 due to sinking pier
Builder
- F.E. Rice (Engineer)
Railroad
- Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (MILW)
Design
The first bridge here was a wood swing bridge, known as the Shakopee Draw bridge, built by Hastings and Dakota Railway. Rebuilt by Milwaukee Road in 1905 as a 3 span Pratt Truss, with 2 spans connected.
Dimensions
Length of largest span: 302.0 ft.
Total length: 400.0 ft.
Also called
MILW - Chaska Swing Bridge
MILW Bridge #O-108
Approximate latitude, longitude
+44.78249, -93.58183   (decimal degrees)
44°46'57" N, 93°34'55" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/453969/4958952 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Shakopee
Inventory number
BH 47920 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Categories 

5-panel truss (585)
6-panel truss (834)
Built 1900 (957)
Built during 1900s (7,688)
Carver County, Minnesota (29)
Chaska, Minnesota (7)
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (1,111)
Continuous (2,641)
Continuous truss (200)
F.E. Rice (1)
Lost (29,326)
Lost 1996 (455)
Lost during 1990s (4,160)
Minnesota (1,654)
Minnesota River (47)
Movable (3,139)
 Navigable waterway (2,214)
Owned by state (16,595)
Pin-connected (4,924)
Pratt through truss (6,148)
Pratt truss (10,432)
Rail-to-trail (1,660)
Railroad (16,559)
Riveted (2,582)
Scott County, Minnesota (41)
Shakopee, Minnesota (4)
Span length 250-500 feet (1,269)
Swing (1,578)
Through truss (17,377)
Total length 250-500 feet (5,566)
Truss (36,155)
X-Frame Portal (35)

Update Log 

  • January 10, 2017: New photo from Dana and Kay Klein
  • August 18, 2015: Updated by John Marvig: added additional build date
  • July 3, 2013: Updated by John Marvig: Added Builder per MILW Archives
  • May 14, 2013: New photos from John Marvig
  • April 6, 2013: Updated by John Marvig: Added Catagories and link to documentation photos
  • August 10, 2012: Updated by John Marvig: Added categories "Minnesota River", "railroad"
  • March 22, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad"
  • February 2, 2011: Added by John Marvig

Related Bridges 

Sources 

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Comments 

Chaska Swing Bridge
Posted June 26, 2013, by Jason Smith (JDSmith77 [at] gmx [dot] net)

Information sought on this bridge, specifically regarding the bridge builder and to clarify the construction dates: http://thebridgehunter.areavoices.com/2013/06/26/mystery-bri...

JS

Chaska Swing Bridge
Posted May 10, 2013, by John Marvig (johnmarvig [at] chaska [dot] net)

Remarkably, while searching around here today I found significant amounts of scrap metal on the south bank. I plan on going back to find what else is down there sometime soon.