UP - Red River Bridge

Albert -

That bridge has a long history of destruction, damage and repair.

The derailment was in the mid 1950s (I have a detailed account and photos) and damaged the southernmost through truss which was replaced by the pair of deck plate girders there now. The girders have a builder's plate dated 1911. I don't know where they were originally but from about 1940 to 1955 were located on Shawnee Creek on the now abandoned spur used in construction Denison Dam and the powerhouse.

The debris below the northernmost through truss was from attempt to prevent the bridge washing away in a major flood in 1915 where several cars were loaded with coal and placed on the bridge.

In the spring of 1908 the three southernmost through trusses were completely destroyed by flooding and replaced by the mismatched set, only two of which now remain. The two northernmost through trusses survived the 1908 flood but the concrete piers and northernmost abutment were rebuilt about 1916/17. There is a date embossed on the underside.

At low water you can see the cut stones of the original piers.

The original bridge was completed in 1872 and I have a couple of photos attributed to it. About 1890 it was completely rebuilt and raised several feet.

I stopped to photograph this bridge in late October of this year. (2015) I spoke to a Union Pacific employee who happened to be their with a crew doing track maintenance. He told me that there had been a major accident - derailment on the bridge many years ago that had caused major damage to the bridge and had even resulted in several railroad cars falling into the river. He even pointed out to me what he said were the remains of one of the cars.I am interested in finding any information about this accident...