South Grand Avenue Bridge

The reason I suggest that it is a relocated bridge is because I have a book with an 1890s picture showing a wooden bridge. From photographic evidence, there was a previous railroad bridge here. Are there still structural drawings around for this bridge?

I can see that! Looks original to the location with the only modification being the horrific encasement of the endpost and lower chord in concrete. A proper restoration would correct that nonsense!

Also the engineering company said the bridge was built in 1880 on the spot and not a relocated bridge.

The line was originally narrow gauge. There was also trolley service over the bridge to Brown Springs, a resort about a quarter of a mile south of the bridge. The trolley brought people to the resort from Sedalia via the trolley car system. The county road moved to use the railroad bridge in the 1950's previously there was a ford to west of the bridge. The railroad ceased operations around 1946-47-48. The bridge was inspected in the fall of 2018 and found to be in great condition.

It was originally narrow gauge, but was standard gauged in 1902. It's very unlikely a 1920 bridge would have been built this light.

Wasn't this originally a narrow gauge line? That might be the reason the bridge is not as massive as most early 1900's standard gauge bridges.

I don't know the RR history but perhaps that's when it became a road.

Where did the 1920 date come from? I see zero evidence that this bridge dates to the 20th century. Books and experts on the railroad list the date as 1889, a much more likely build date

Nathan, I wondered about that too...

Yes Nathan! I was TOTALLY impressed with the stupidity exhibited here as well...

*Kinda like my days back in Shop Class... If you mess it up, put 2 grooves in it and make an ash tray!

*If you don't know how to properly fix it... Just encase it in concrete!

I got in contact with a local who has the history well down for this branch line. He says that the bridge here was built in 1898 by Missouri Pacific, to replace an aging timber bridge. If this is the case (and I won't doubt someone whos spent years of research on this subject), I would suspect the spans were relocated from another location.

Outstanding. Someone decided the best thing to do with a historic pin-connected wrought iron truss bridge (designed to flex at each connection point) was to encase the bearings in concrete. Kill two birds with one stone that way... rot out the wrought iron AND compromise the function of the truss. Way to go.

I appreciate the help! I will email the Pettis County historical society and see if they can give me a definitive answer. Otherwise, 1885 sounds far more correct than 1898.

The 1886 topo shows the railroad as MO Pac, Sedalia, Warsaw, and Southwestern Branch. Several crossings of Spring Creek to the south, only the first of which is along the route of the present road.

The Missouri Historic Bridge Inventory lists a date of circa 1885. I can't remember where the 1898 date came from, but the earlier date seems more likely.

I think it resembles some M&K/Union Bridge Co. spans from the 1880's.

I would not be surprised if it was built 1880-1890. I can't say for sure though as I have less experience with railroad bridges than highway bridges.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this bridge is likely older than 1898..does anyone have any input on this? By 1898, railroad bridges were much more massive than this structure.

This bridge is still in service for one-way traffic as of October 28, 2007. It was originally built by the railroad for the short line between Sedalia and Warsaw. Between Warsaw and Sedalia the rail line also serviced the small towns of Cole Camp and Mora. At the southern terminus, Warsaw had a "Y" to turn the train around for the return trip. The Missouri Pacific Railroad (MoPac) operated this short line in its later years. I often cross it when going between my farm and Sedalia.