Friends of the Rail Bridge - FORB

Friends of the Rail Bridge - FORB FORB is a nonprofit group formally organized to preserve the historic rail bridge across the Missouri

Friends of the Rail Bridge is grieving the loss of our friend, Bill Delmore. Bill served as our attorney, and gave his a...
06/15/2024

Friends of the Rail Bridge is grieving the loss of our friend, Bill Delmore. Bill served as our attorney, and gave his all for us without charge or reservation. He was devoted to the rule of law and fought for the underdog.

Bill was always full of joy and optimism and seemed as if the way he had lived his life imbued him with continual satisfaction. What a gift to have known him.

His memorial will be held today, June 15th at 2pm at Sleepy Hollow Arts Park. His family asks In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to North Dakota MathCounts in Bill's honor.

View William Delmore's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

11/17/2023

Justices heard arguments on the legality of two permits given to BNSF Railway to tear down the bridge and build a new one.

11/17/2023

An attorney for a citizen group fighting to save the Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge over the Missouri River argued before the North Dakota Supreme Court on Thursday that a state agency

FORB would like to thank our pro-bono attorneys, Bill Delmore and Lyle Witham, for the gift of their time and effort to ...
11/16/2023

FORB would like to thank our pro-bono attorneys, Bill Delmore and Lyle Witham, for the gift of their time and effort to save the bridge. These dedicated public servants have donated their expertise. We wouldn’t have had the chance to fight for what’s right without them.

We now await the decision of the ND Supreme Court.

Would you like to win this beautiful photo by Chad Ziemendorf? Join our mailing list to enter the drawing! Winner will b...
11/14/2023

Would you like to win this beautiful photo by Chad Ziemendorf? Join our mailing list to enter the drawing! Winner will be chosen on Thursday, November 16th.

Win this beautiful PhotoJoin our mailing list for a chance to with a 44 inch print by photographer Chad Ziemendorf.Drawing will be held at 4pm on Thursday, November 16th 2023. Name * First Name Last Name Email * Thank you!

Thank you to the Fargo Forum Editorial Board for their support.
11/11/2023

Thank you to the Fargo Forum Editorial Board for their support.

If a citizen group lawsuit can establish that the state owns the bridge, state officials should vigorously resurrect efforts to save the iconic rail bridge.

The Fargo InForum is covering our fight to save the bridge in a 3 part feature story beginning today. Here is the link t...
11/08/2023

The Fargo InForum is covering our fight to save the bridge in a 3 part feature story beginning today. Here is the link to part 1 of the story, with the following 2 expected tomorrow and Friday.

BNSF Railway has secured all the permits it needs to destroy the rail bridge and build a replacement, leaving a citizen group's lawsuit as the last remaining hope of saving the bridge.

08/22/2023

There are two North Dakota Supreme Court cases that put the bridge in hot water. On Monday the higher court heard arguments on the appeal that deals with who owns the bridge.

08/22/2023

The Friends of the Rail Bridge went to the North Dakota Supreme Court on Monday in a bid to prove the state owns a Missouri River rail bridge that's set

What an opportunity for North Dakota!A friend of FORB recently visited Idaho and visited a newer park in that area--the ...
08/22/2023

What an opportunity for North Dakota!

A friend of FORB recently visited Idaho and visited a newer park in that area--the Historic Guffey Railroad Bridge about an hour south of Boise, Idaho. Think of the opportunity we have for our Rail Bridge, situated a stone's throw from the State Capitol, bordering the Bismarck State College, connecting Bismarck and Mandan, the centerpiece of our Missouri riverfront walking trails, within our Northern Plains National Heritage Area, along the trail of Lewis & Clark--it is not hard to have a vision of how this could work in our community!

We'll let the photos speak for themselves. Thanks to Kintessa Schroeder for the photos.

08/22/2023

As a result of this dismissal, FORB is appealing for a stay. This week, they appeared over Zoom in front of the North Dakota Supreme Court for a hearing.

The Bridge will have its day in court. The Friends of the Rail Bridge petitioned the ND Supreme Court to take original j...
08/04/2023

The Bridge will have its day in court.

The Friends of the Rail Bridge petitioned the ND Supreme Court to take original jurisdiction on Burlington Northern Sante Fe’s plans to destroy the iconic 1883 Missouri River rail bridge between Bismarck and Mandan.

The petition has been considered and oral arguments are scheduled for August 21.

It is extremely rare for the Supreme Court to take original jurisdiction.

FORB’s petition asks the Court to issue a stay on the Department of Water Resources permits to build a new bridge and destroy the historic bridge. It seeks a supervisory writ or order regarding state agencies’ responsibilities to historic structures located on state land.

FORB does not oppose a new bridge. Our only interest is in preserving the historic bridge.

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Bismarck, ND

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Our most iconic landmark in jeopardy

In late 2017, BNSF announced intentions to re-work the rail crossing at the Missouri River between Bismarck and Mandan/Captain’s Landing. The rail bridge was built before North Dakota even became a state in the 1880’s and is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. In December 2017, the US Coast Guard held a public informational meeting which included a public comment period. BNSF presented a few alternatives for how to improve the rail crossing to allow for sustainable rail activity for the foreseeable future. Their preferred option would involve destroying the bridge. Over 50 people stood and spoke, on behalf of many different citizen groups, in favor of saving the rail bridge if at all possible. Not a single person or group spoke in support of tearing the bridge down. FORB, Friends of the Rail Bridge, is a recognized nonprofit group formed to advocate for saving the bridge. We have adopted formal bylaws and identified a Board of Directors with elected leadership:

President, Mark Zimmerman Secretary, Mandy Persson Treasurer, Ashley Sundquist

Currently, the Coast Guard is conducting a series of meetings as part of the Section 106 process to ensure all possible measures are taken to not have any adverse impact on the bridge, which is protected by its eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places. FORB is acting as a consulting party in these meetings to ensure a compromise in which the historic bridge may remain standing and the railroad may also have a modern bridge to cross the river, without compromising the existing bridge.