(
Archived Bridge Hunter; no Historic Bridges;
Satellite)
The
museum just east of here has also been impacted by the flood.
Evidently the bridge collapsed around 11pm Jun 23, 2024. The TV station must have access to some serious lights.
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KTIV News 4 posted
The North Sioux railroad bridge has collapsed into the Big Sioux River.
Andy Saunders: All of this happens very fast... we were 4 hours away heard that spencer was under water and booked it home got back just before the bridge closed... but we have our pups so that's a win even if we're stuck. [Some comments indicate that some neighborhoods did get trapped by the flood waters because they were not evacuated. They were rescued by boat.] Tim Ehrenberg shared
South Dakota/Iowa flooding |
Normal river level:
The white pier on the right was replaced between Nov 2021 and Sep 2023. Did they already have some flood damage?
%20Ghost%20of%20the%20Milwaukee%20Road%20_%20Sad%20news%20the%20old%20Bridge%20built%20by%20the%20Milwaukee.png) |
| Comments on Michael's post |
Live Storm Chasers
posted three photos with the comment: "🚨BREAKING: A Train Bridge between North Sioux City, South Dakota & Sioux City, Iowa has broke in half with part of the bridge in the Big Sioux River due to major flooding!"
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| 1, LSC Source: Josh Morris, cropped |
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| 2, LSC Source: Frank Bullitt, cropped |
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| 3, LSC Viewer: Jonni Jean Mills |
Live Storm Chasers
posted three photos with the comment:
🚨BREAKING: MORE photos showing the Collapsed Train Bridge in the Big Sioux River due to major flooding. The bridge sits between North Sioux City, South Dakota & Sioux City, Iowa.
LSC/James McCabe Jr
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Jun 24: KTIV News 4
posted two photos with the comment:
6 AM [Jun 24] Update: The railroad bridge in North Sioux City is moving slightly to the right downriver but is also sinking. Sioux City Police are monitoring the bridge. The roadway that connects Sioux City’s riverside and North Sioux City has been closed to through traffic for the public’s safety. Taylor Deckert - Multimedia Journalist is live until 7 AM on News 4 Today with updates on the current water levels.
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2:36 video on ktiv
"This bridge is on the BNSF rail line connecting South Dakota and Iowa. It’s a major transportation line for this region." BNSF trains are being rerouted via Creston, IA. |
David A. Gerancher
shared a post. This post had plagiarized (copied without acknowledgement) photos that I already have above. But the share had some informative comments.
Chad Kersten: South Dakota got a little over 14 inches of rain in 1 day. All the water is coming South.
David A. Gerancher: I'm not sure what the flow rate of the river is but I'm sure it's well over the design.
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Greg Best commented on David's comment
B4 the flood |
Jun 24: Cole Jendrzejak
posted four photos with the comment: "View of the Riverside-North Sioux City railway bridge."
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Barb Conlon commented on Cole's post
Yesterday afternoon |
Jun 24:
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safe_image for BNSF bridge on South Dakota-Iowa state line collapses
A KTIV-TV reporter stands in front of the collapsed BNSF bridge over the swollen Big Sioux River between North Sioux City, S.D., and Sioux City, Iowa, on June 24, 2024. Screen shot from KTIV video
Brandon Carstensen: Not going to be abandoned any time soon. It's a major connecting route, Lincoln, NE to Sioux City, North to Willmar, MN, then to the twin cities. Confirmed from another page as well, they intend to add proper clearances along the line in the coming years to allow intermodal traffic as well. Ron Minor: Wrong line, the BNSF Sioux City and Marshall Subs are getting clearance updates. This is the BNSF Aberdeen sub and was once the Milwaukee Rd. Ross Williams: BNSF's Aberdeen Subdivision. BNSF and Dakota & Iowa Railroad both use it, not a main line by any means but it's used daily. Both railroads have a yard north of the bridge and need access to their other yards over the river. BNSF has another route north out of town that sees heavier traffic, but that one is also out of service at this time. Michael Q Quagliano: The line is used by a railroad that operates on SD owned trackage and agreements. BNSF also has a few daily trains that use this line. It’s not a critical line for BNSF but it is higher than a branch line. Ron Minor: This is the BNSF owned Aberdeen sub that is an important agricultural line. Regular freights are not what they used to be, but the line plays host to numerous grain shuttles, ethanol trains and an occasional detour. The line is also integral to DAIR operations for its trains from Hawarden, IA and Dell Rapids, SD. Also, the State of South Dakota who no longer owns this line would also have a stake in it rebuilding to continue getting its agricultural products to market. It will not be abandoned but rebuilt once the floodwaters return to normal flows. |
Jun 25: Johnathon Vodochodsky
posted four photos with the comment:
Here photos of the railroad bridge that crosses the Big Sioux River from North Sioux City, South Dakota into Sioux w, Iowa. I did not take these photos. There were posted on the Siouxland Severe Weather FB group page.
This is the line that is part of the BNSF railroad, they own the track. The Dakota and Iowa also uses it between their yard in Dell Rapids, SD to Sioux City, Iowa.
This part of the line goes through the Riverside neighborhood in Sioux City, Iowa.
Ken Heitzenrater
shared with the comment: "The power of Mother Nature......"
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Jun 26:
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rtands
"All trains are being rerouted via Creston, Iowa....It will likely be months before this line is open again." |
Back in better days:
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Bill Pearsall Flickr
Ferromex SCA
Ferromex leading a BNSF empty grain shuttle across the Big Sioux River into South Dakota, probably going to Jefferson. |
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trains
A D&I Railroad train crosses the bridge in 2020. Cate Kratville-Wrinn |
More info on DAIR:
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1 of 25 photos posted by Johnathan Vodochodsky on Jul 2, 2024
[Note that the river is back to normal.]
Here are current photos of the BNSF bridge. I took these today. If you look close you will see one of the rails is still connected, but bowed. The center pier collapsed. With that amount of debris that is stacked against the bridge and how high the water was the center pier didn't stand a chance. THIS IS NOT FROM NEGLECT! It is mother nature's destructive forces working against a man made structure. Mother nature won again. [The comments have many photos concerning the collapse and replacement of the MRL bridge over the Yellowstone River a couple of years ago.] |
July 20, 2024:
Kenneth Brown
posted three photos with the comment: "Was back in the Sioux City, IA area last weekend and took these photos of the collapsed Milwaukee bridge over the Big Sioux river."
Michael Clark: Any word on tentative plans for it? I assume it will be replaced with some blah concrete structure and the existing spans scraped? The line does get used so can't imagine it would be abandoned.
Kenneth Brown: Michael Clark I didn’t see it, but was told a large crane was all set up and ready to go the as of the following Monday. [Jul 20 was a Friday.] So the spans might be up and out of there by now.
Dan Mitzel: Michael Clark they had to get permits from the Corps of Engineers and the flood district.
Jeff Secora: Sure appears the pier scoured.
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Michael Clark commented on a question about the age of the trusses
It was originally built early 1900s and spanned the Cedar River on the Milwaukee at this location nw of Cedar Rapids....if my facts are correct. When the bridge was upgraded these spans were moved from the old spot to where they are now. |
Aug 7, 2024:
KTIV News 4
posted three photos with the comment:
Here’s the latest view of the BNSF railroad bridge still set to be a part of the explosion on Monday morning at 9AM. They will be demolishing the South Dakota side, the portion that is dipping down into the Big Sioux River.
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Ames Construction
posted three photos with the comment:
When a record-breaking flood in 2024 caused the partial collapse of a BNSF rail bridge over the Big Sioux River, Ames Construction responded with people and equipment to remove the damaged structure.
Today [Jun 15, 2025], Ames crews are on-site building a new bridge.
Ames is a reliable partner to the railroad industry across the United States. For emergency rail projects, Ames is uniquely diversified to perform the wide variety of tasks needed to get operations back to normal faster.
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BNSF Railway posted 0:15 video
The new bridge over the Big Sioux River is up and running! The first train crossed the bridge, between North Sioux City, South Dakota and Sioux City, Iowa, late last week. Thanks to our crews for safely replacing the bridge, and thanks to our operations team for grabbing video footage for us to post. Rickie Dean McKillip: There will probably be some small local trains to allow the tracks and ballast to get settled. Tim Smith: 120 empties first train, followed immediately by 80 loads. |
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