Rating:
15 votes

Soo Line High Bridge

Photos 

Soo Line High Bridge

Photo taken by John Marvig in April 2012

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BH Photo #234409

Video 

Arcola High Bridge

As featured in Wisconsin Waters from the Air on PBS. Produced and Directed by Laurie Gorman & Grant Foster.

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Facts 

Overview
Steel arch bridge over St. Croix River on Canadian National Railroad
Location
Somerset, Washington County, Minnesota, and St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Status
Open to traffic
History
Built 1910-11 by Wisconsin Central RR replacing a bridge downstream.
Builders
- American Bridge Co. of New York
- Claude Allen Porter Turner of Lincoln, Rhode Island (Engineer)
- Kelly-Atkinson Construction Co. of Chicago, Illinois
Railroads
- Canadian National Railway (CN)
- Minneapolis, St. Paul, & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (SOO)
- Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WC)
- Wisconsin Central Railway (1897-1954) (WC)
Design
Deck Plate Girder approaches with 5 large main spans
Dimensions
Total length: 2,682.0 ft. (0.5 mi.)
Recognition
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on August 22, 1977
Also called
Arcola High Bridge
Approximate latitude, longitude
+45.12321, -92.74494   (decimal degrees)
45°07'24" N, 92°44'42" W   (degrees°minutes'seconds")
Approximate UTM coordinates
15/520059/4996669 (zone/easting/northing)
Quadrangle map:
Somerset South
Inventory numbers
NRHP 77000056 (National Register of Historic Places reference number)
BH 52803 (Bridgehunter.com ID)

Update Log 

  • March 9, 2023: New video from Mark Boettcher
  • March 8, 2023: New photo from Geoff Hubbs
  • January 11, 2018: New photos from Luke
  • December 28, 2015: New photos from Charles Kuehn
  • October 19, 2015: New photos from John Marvig
  • April 19, 2015: New photos from John Marvig
  • November 5, 2014: New photo from Luke
  • October 27, 2012: Updated by John Marvig: Added categories "tall bridges", "Canadian National Railway"
  • August 10, 2012: Updated by John Marvig: Added category "Railroad"
  • July 2, 2012: Updated by Luke Harden: Added category "St. Croix River"
  • July 2, 2012: Added by John Marvig

Related Bridges 

Sources 

Comments 

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted March 20, 2023, by Don Drew (don [dot] drew [at] optusnet [dot] com [dot] au)

A school chum and I shared a couple of memorable visits to this magnificent bridge. Thanks for adding to my memories by sharing yours!

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted February 26, 2013, by Bill Eichelberger

Well, that convinces me. You're right. We get tons of great info from the anonymous posters.

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted February 25, 2013, by Tony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Yeah...I was thinkin' that "Crapped down my leg" would be more appropriate.

Can't help but laugh thinking what a sight that would be if a train crossed while that dude was on it in the buff!

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted February 25, 2013, by Matt Lohry

Just curious...how did you crap your pants if you were naked? :)

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted February 25, 2013, by Peter (none)

I crapped my pants while walking over this bridge... in the dark... during a thunderstorm... while naked! I did it on a dare. Go figure!

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted July 2, 2012, by John Marvig (johnmarvig [at] chaska [dot] net)

The view above that I used was found by following a nature trail to the riverbank. This area offers great views. I think it would be really cool to take a boat to the island in the middle of the river...

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted July 2, 2012, by Tony Dillon (spansaver [at] hotmail [dot] com)

Beautiful structure!

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted July 2, 2012, by Jake (simpspin [at] yahoo [dot] com)

Yeah, in 2008, a person was walking across when they stepped on a rotten plank and fell

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted July 2, 2012, by John Marvig (Johnmarvig [at] chaska [dot] net)

The cameras that were once guarding both ends are now gone...

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted July 2, 2012, by Spanfan (susorcar [at] yahoo [dot] comn)

This is such a majestic structure. When you're on the St. Croix, you come around a bend & see this huge thing in the distance. When you get closer, you just can't believe there's something that big over a relatively small river! It's kind of a shame that it isn't more accessible, but then, we did have someone fall off of it a few years ago.

Soo Line High Bridge
Posted July 2, 2012, by John Marvig (johnmarvig [at] chaska [dot] net)

It appears the old page for this bridge was deleted, so I made another. If the old one still exists, please delete this one