Dan Patch Line Bridge, Railway swing bridge in Bloomington and Savage, Minnesota
The Dan Patch Line Bridge is a railway swing bridge that crosses the Minnesota River between Bloomington and Savage. Its movable center span lifts to allow river traffic to pass underneath while trains travel above.
The bridge was completed in 1908 as part of an electric interurban railway network connecting Minnesota communities. It served as a crucial transportation link across the Minnesota River during the early development of the region's rail infrastructure.
The bridge represents the engineering capabilities of the early 1900s, demonstrating the period's railway infrastructure development in the American Midwest.
The bridge is visible from public areas along the river, though direct access is restricted to railway operations. Visitors can view the structure and observe its mechanical operation from nearby vantage points without accessing the tracks themselves.
The Twin Cities and Western Railroad purchased this bridge to preserve a strategic route despite not being connected to their main operational network.
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