Since the Great Flood of 1993 the AmtrakIllinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg services terminate at the Quincy station, although after the passengers have disembarked the trains do cross the bridge to the BNSF Railway yard in West Quincy, where the equipment is oriented in the proper direction for the return trip on the wye and is stored until the next departure. This Mississippi River crossing does serve as a backup route should the Fort Madison Toll Bridge crossing be unavailable.[citation needed]
The current structure, located at Mississippi River mile 380.0, was built in 1960. It has a through truss main span of 339 feet (103 m). the other spans of the bridge are deck trusses. When this bridge was constructed, the channel for boat traffic was relocated from the west side of the river to the east side.[1] The bridge opened on November 11, 1960 dedicated by Harry Murphy, president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. It was built at a cost of $9,575,000. With the opening of the bridge, the railroad made a donation to the city of the island between the river and Quincy Bay (Quinsippi Island) and one of the old bridges across the bay for use as a recreational area.[2]
Original bridge (1868—1899)edit
The first structure at this location was completed at ten AM on November 7, 1868 when bridge engineer Thomas C. Clarke tested the structure with the crossing of locomotive engines. The bridge and a total of two miles of track formed a new connection between the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Built by the Quincy Bridge Company and its president Nathaniel Bushnell, the bridge was a swing span, wrought iron Pratt truss which cost $1,500,000.[3] The 362-foot long swing truss created two spans of 181 feet. Sixteen fixed spans using a Whipple truss complete the river crossing to make the bridge 3,189 feet long (2 spans at 250 feet, three spans at 200 feet, and eleven spans at 157 feet). A second bridge across Quincy Bay (the waterway between present-day Quinsippi Island and the city of Quincy) included another draw span.[4][5]
First replacement (1899—1960)edit
The original bridge was replaced in 1899 as the original wrought-iron truss could not carry the heavier trains and engines in use at the time.[6] This bridge included wagon bridge decks cantilevered off the sides of the rail bridges to accommodate farm traffic and automobiles. Once the Quincy Memorial Bridge opened in 1930, the wagon bridge decks were subsequently removed from this railroad bridge.[1] This bridge included two separate bridges across Quincy Bay and a junction on the island between the bay and the river. Both bridges across Quincy Bay were swing bridges to allow passage of ships into Quincy Bay. On November 27, 1915, a passenger train travelling east from Missouri fell into the bay after failing to stop when the swing bridge was open for a barge.[7]
^ abWeeks, John A. (2008). "Quincy Rail Bridge". Retrieved April 18, 2021.
^"First Freight Crosses New Burlington Bridge". The Chicago Tribune. CXIX (272): B5. November 12, 1960. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
^"Quincy Railroad Bridge: The Formal Opening-Testing Its Strength and Capabilities-Report of the Engineers-Banquet, &c". The Chicago Tribune. XXII (132): 2. November 9, 1868. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
^Clarke, Thomas C. (1869). Van Nostrand, David (ed.). "Clarke's Quincy Rail Bridge". Van Nostrand's Eclectic Engineering Magazine. III (XIX). New York: D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc. (published July 1870): 49–52. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
^ Griggs, Frank Jr. (May 2008). (PDF). Structure Magazine: 48–50. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
^"The New Quincy Bridge". The Railway Age. 24 (25). Chicago: 1012–1013. December 17, 1897. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
^ Lane, Beth (December 25, 2016). "Train met tragedy on Mississippi River railroad bridge". Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
CBQ - Quincy Railroad Bridge (Old) at Bridgehunter.com
CBQ - Quincy Railroad Bridge (Oldest) at Bridgehunter.com
April 10, 2024
quincy, rail, bridge, truss, bridge, that, carries, rail, line, across, mississippi, river, between, west, quincy, missouri, quincy, illinois, originally, constructed, 1868, chicago, burlington, quincy, railroad, predecessor, bnsf, railway, original, 1868, 189. The Quincy Rail Bridge is a truss bridge that carries a rail line across the Mississippi River between West Quincy Missouri and Quincy Illinois USA It was originally constructed in 1868 for the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad a predecessor of BNSF Railway Quincy Rail BridgeThe original Quincy Rail Bridge 1868 1899 Coordinates39 56 30 N 91 25 51 W 39 94167 N 91 43083 W 39 94167 91 43083CrossesMississippi RiverLocaleWest Quincy Missouri and Quincy IllinoisCharacteristicsDesignTruss bridge since 1960 Swing bridge 1868 1960 Longest span339 feet 103 m Clearance below63 feet 19 m HistoryOpened1868 original bridge 1890 first replacement 1960 current bridge LocationFrom the 1950s until 1971 it served the Kansas City Zephyr and American Royal Zephyr daily passenger trains between Chicago and Kansas City It served Amtrak s Illinois Zephyr from Chicago to West Quincy Missouri from 1971 to 1993 citation needed Since the Great Flood of 1993 the Amtrak Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg services terminate at the Quincy station although after the passengers have disembarked the trains do cross the bridge to the BNSF Railway yard in West Quincy where the equipment is oriented in the proper direction for the return trip on the wye and is stored until the next departure This Mississippi River crossing does serve as a backup route should the Fort Madison Toll Bridge crossing be unavailable citation needed Contents 1 Current bridge 2 Original bridge 1868 1899 3 First replacement 1899 1960 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksCurrent bridge editThe current structure located at Mississippi River mile 380 0 was built in 1960 It has a through truss main span of 339 feet 103 m the other spans of the bridge are deck trusses When this bridge was constructed the channel for boat traffic was relocated from the west side of the river to the east side 1 The bridge opened on November 11 1960 dedicated by Harry Murphy president of the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad It was built at a cost of 9 575 000 With the opening of the bridge the railroad made a donation to the city of the island between the river and Quincy Bay Quinsippi Island and one of the old bridges across the bay for use as a recreational area 2 Original bridge 1868 1899 editThe first structure at this location was completed at ten AM on November 7 1868 when bridge engineer Thomas C Clarke tested the structure with the crossing of locomotive engines The bridge and a total of two miles of track formed a new connection between the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Hannibal and St Joseph Railroad Built by the Quincy Bridge Company and its president Nathaniel Bushnell the bridge was a swing span wrought iron Pratt truss which cost 1 500 000 3 The 362 foot long swing truss created two spans of 181 feet Sixteen fixed spans using a Whipple truss complete the river crossing to make the bridge 3 189 feet long 2 spans at 250 feet three spans at 200 feet and eleven spans at 157 feet A second bridge across Quincy Bay the waterway between present day Quinsippi Island and the city of Quincy included another draw span 4 5 First replacement 1899 1960 editThe original bridge was replaced in 1899 as the original wrought iron truss could not carry the heavier trains and engines in use at the time 6 This bridge included wagon bridge decks cantilevered off the sides of the rail bridges to accommodate farm traffic and automobiles Once the Quincy Memorial Bridge opened in 1930 the wagon bridge decks were subsequently removed from this railroad bridge 1 This bridge included two separate bridges across Quincy Bay and a junction on the island between the bay and the river Both bridges across Quincy Bay were swing bridges to allow passage of ships into Quincy Bay On November 27 1915 a passenger train travelling east from Missouri fell into the bay after failing to stop when the swing bridge was open for a barge 7 See also editList of crossings of the Upper Mississippi RiverReferences edit a b Weeks John A 2008 Quincy Rail Bridge Retrieved April 18 2021 First Freight Crosses New Burlington Bridge The Chicago Tribune CXIX 272 B5 November 12 1960 Retrieved April 20 2021 Quincy Railroad Bridge The Formal Opening Testing Its Strength and Capabilities Report of the Engineers Banquet amp c The Chicago Tribune XXII 132 2 November 9 1868 Retrieved April 18 2021 Clarke Thomas C 1869 Van Nostrand David ed Clarke s Quincy Rail Bridge Van Nostrand s Eclectic Engineering Magazine III XIX New York D Van Nostrand Company Inc published July 1870 49 52 Retrieved April 18 2021 Griggs Frank Jr May 2008 Great Achievements Thomas C Clarke PDF Structure Magazine 48 50 Archived from the original PDF on April 17 2016 Retrieved April 18 2021 The New Quincy Bridge The Railway Age 24 25 Chicago 1012 1013 December 17 1897 Retrieved April 18 2021 Lane Beth December 25 2016 Train met tragedy on Mississippi River railroad bridge Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County Retrieved April 20 2021 External links editQuincy Rail Bridge at Structurae BNSF Quincy Railroad Bridge at Bridgehunter com CBQ Quincy Railroad Bridge Old at Bridgehunter com CBQ Quincy Railroad Bridge Oldest at Bridgehunter com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Quincy Rail Bridge amp oldid 1114176465, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
