These are notes that I am writing to help me learn our industrial history. They are my best understanding, but that does not mean they are a correct understanding.
Friday, June 26, 2020
1905 BNSF/NP Bridge over Missouri River at Mandan-Bismarck, ND
The bridge has three note files: 1882, 1905 and 2026.
"Built 1905, reusing the piers from an 1882 bridge." [Bridge Hunter]
The 1525' (465m) has spans of 400' (122m). Ralph Modjeski was the building. [BridgeHunter, BNSF]
It has a clearance of 70' (21m). [Alexander D. Mitchell IV comment on BridgeHunter]
BNSF is going to build a new bridge. It wants to replace this one. Some citizens want the new bridge to be on a new alignment so that this bridge can become a trail.
Street View, Aug 2019 [This is another reminder that the nation got a lot of rain in 2019. This post taught me to try to get a street view from I-94.]
This view shows the angle on the upstream side of the piers to help lift and break the ice flows to protect the piers.
USGS-keelboat, (Credit: Brent R. Hanson, USGS. Public domain.)
The Missouri River flooding Keelboat Park and Keelboat Boat Ramp in Bismarck, ND. In the background is the Burlington Northern SantaFe Railway Bridge.
USGS-tie-gang, (Credit: Brent R. Hanson, USGS. Public domain.)
A tie gang traveling to the site to change ties or traveling away to pack up for the night. Tie gangs are part of the maintenance crew.
[Note that during this June 9, 2011, flooding the ice breakers on the piers are almost covered.]
Brian Ambrose updated Rich Wallace There is a theory that when you leave a location, the train will come. Seems to have been my experience when I have seen others shots who were also at that location. Now I try to get them to leave. Ha! Dennis DeBruler I was at Union Depot in Joliet to meet my uncle and his railfan friends. BNSF was dead. I kidded them that I'd go check out Brandon Lock so that the trains would start coming. Sure enough, they did come after I left.
Brian Ambrose posted
Well I got my shot at the Missouri River bridge this morning. But the clear blue skies were gone replaced by bright overcast. Instead of going straight to the bridge I went down into Mandan to see if anything was there ready to go east. I should have done that yesterday! But while driving there I heard the dispatcher on my scanner talking to a westbound already west of Mandan saying they'd be meeting two eastbounds at Lyons. Ah, there were two coming at least. But checking Mandan I found there was already an eastbound autorack train here and figuring it would have to leave before the other two eastbounds arrived I had better get up to the bridge now. Arrived at the bluff and back to my spot from yesterday, set up the camcorder, and horns blowing from the west. It was almost here! Single SD70ACe up front of the long autorack and no DPU on the rear. Not sunny but at least I got something. It was 80 and rather humid too. Paul Birkholz Perhaps empties going to storage with just one unit? Richard Olson Nice, and the autoracks help keep your eye following the train beyond the bridge. Brian Ambrose Good point. Coal hoppers or grain cars would not have had the same effect.
This was a popular railfan location.
Jim Kleeman posted A new crew has just hopped on board the head end of a loaded Powder River coal train in Mandan, ND. They new lead their three EMD SD60s (9020/9026/9055) across a not-so-wide Missouri River onto the BNSF Jamestown Subdivision. Next stop Dilworth, MN. We're overlooking the action at 8:50 AM on 9/24/2004 in Bismark, ND.
These 1882 piers are made with granite. The spans were built in 1905. [John Weeks III]
Brian Ambrose updated Brian Ambrose And this is the second train of the morning approaching the bridge from down below along a walking trail. Now it is raining, and 78 humid degrees. Jim Weisenbach Icky weather... sounds like 'home' (NJ) Dennis DeBruler A nice view of the ice breaker on the pier.
Michael D Thoreson posted three photos with the comment: "A loaded coal train crosses the Missouri river bridge between Mandan and Bismarck, ND on Sunday morning, 9/19[/2021]."
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