Atchison Railroad Bridge - Atchison KS
N 39° 33.611 W 095° 06.853
15S E 318370 N 4381078
The Atchison RR bridge in Atchison KS is a swing bridge over the Missouri River in this historic railroad town. Although currently (2013) closed to through rail traffic, the swing span is still used and still operates to allow river traffic by.
Waymark Code: WMGR3R
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 04/03/2013
Views: 5
The Atchison Railroad bridge is a direct link to this community's history as the ATSF railhead. Built in 1900, this swing truss bridge is still in use today, though closed to through rail traffic.
The Atchison Historical Society considers this bridge to be one of the 11 wonders of Atchison County: (
visit link)
"Atchison Railroad Bridge and Bridge Tender's Office:
(1875) – the oldest existing railroad bridge across the Missouri River and the oldest existing railroad building in Kansas. Originally built as a toll bridge this site serviced trains, wagons and pedestrians (and later vehicle traffic) this was a major crossing point of the Missouri River. First discussed in 1870 the city declined to build the bridge for the railroads asking the railroads to fund their own bridge. The railroads found other communities more than willing to fund bridges at their cities and by the time Atchison changed its mind to build the bridge Atchison went from the dominant rail center of Kansas to being in heated competition with St. Joseph, Leavenworth and Kansas City. Still standing (with bridge modifications in the early 1900s) 135 years later these railroad structures are a direct tie to this most important time in the history of Kansas – when the railroads were king." [end]
From the Bridgehunter website, which respectfully disagrees with the folks at the Atchison Co. Hiostorical Society over the age of the bridge: (
visit link)
"Overview: Through truss swing bridge over the Missouri River on the Union Pacific railroad at Atchison
Location: Atchison County, Kansas, and Buchanan County, Missouri
Status: Intact but closed to through rail traffic after flooding damaged rail line in 2011; swing span on west end is still in service, because locomotives wying in Atchison have to use the swing span for tail room.
History: Built 1900
Design: Swing Cantilevered through truss with three truss approach spans" [end]
We are going to side with the Bridgehunter folks, who seem to have independent evidence that the 1875 bridge was replaced in 1900.