Lost/PTC(Rock Island)/P&PT 1900 Bridge over Illinois River at Pekin, IL

(Bridge Hunter, Satellite)

PTC = Peoria Terminal Company was a subsidiary of the Rock Island
P&PT = Peoria & Pekin Terminal, an interurban

For information on the six Illinois River bridges that were and are in the Pekin area, see Lost Bridges over Illinois River in Pekin, IL.

It connected with the Big4/P&E+Santa Fe Yard in Pekin.

Roger Kujawa posted
[Comments indicate this 1907 postcard shows the Peoria Railway Terminal Bridge.]

It was hit by barges more than once. After an allision by a barge in 1973, it was abandoned and dismantled in 1974 (or 1975 depending on source).

Over the decades, the Terminal Bridge was struck several times by barges. Among the final collisions was one in the early 1970s that left the swingspan drooping sadly into the river. No longer usable or needed, a few years later the bridge finally was spectacularly dynamited and its steel ruins hauled away as preparations began for the construction of the new Pekin bridge. [PekinTimes]

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP, the north bridge

Photo from FromTheHistoryRoom

You can see the east side of the swing span on the left side of the road bridge opening:

BridgeHunter, Bridge in 1929/30   Photo taken by Art Kistler, IDOT
[The lift bridge was a road bridge. The lift span is up while the swing span is closed because the tug must be helping with the construction of the new lift bridge.]

Bruce Emmons posted the question: "Does any one have a picture of the swing bridge that was in Pekin, Il that crossed the Illinois river?"

Paul Bourjaily commented
This might be what you're looking for....(photographer unknown).

Bruce Emmons posted a request for pictures of this bridge. Several comments on that posting are of interest.
David JordanDavid and 4 others manage the membership and moderators, settings and posts for Peoria Illinois Railroads Trains & Shortlines. Bruce Emmons Probably the Peoria Terminal Company (PTCo) bridge built by interurban Peoria & Pekin Terminal in 1900. It was located north of and alongside the old Pekin Bridge (opened in 1929). In early 1973, floodwaters damaged the bridge and PTCo parent Rock Island decided to seek trackage rights on the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway (Iowa Jct. to Pekin via East Peoria and Wesley Jct.) rather than repair the bridge. This arrangement lasted until the Rock Island was forced to shutdown at the end of March 1980. 

In February 1974, a towboat with six barges hit the bridge's superstructure but the damage wasn't yet a problem for river traffic. That changed when a tow of six grain barges hit the structure in April of that year. The Interstate Commerce Commission approved the bridge's abandonment around June 30 or July 1 and dismantling began July 23. Two spans were removed August 2, 1974 by explosives. Eight piers on the river bed were removed over the next two months. 

I have no photos, but I've seen some in Paul Stringham's Peoria Railway Terrminal article in Spring 2002 issue of THE FLYER. John Stell Do you have any?

John Stell I do not have any photos of the bridge. Max Wade was the bridgetender. To get onto the bridge he walked out on the old Route 9 lift bridge. He climbed over the side onto a wood walkway to walk out to the open railroad bridge. One day the B&B gang lubed the bridge and spilled some grease on walk. That night Max slipped and fell in the river. He came in the depot cold and wet. I called agent and he came down but Max refused to go for treatment. He said it was a good thing he was a frogman in the Navy.

eBook

eBook

Roger Kujawa posted photos that include the two abutments as the only remaining remnants with the comment:

The Rock Island owned a subsidiary called the Peoria Terminal Company which served numerous industries in the Peoria Pekin, Illinois Area. The PT was originally the Peoria Railway Terminal an interurban line with steam for freight and electric cars for passengers. They had a bridge across the Illinois River in Pekin build in 1900. The 679 foot bridge was hit by tow boats many times until put out of service in 1973. The entire bridge was removed later. The Rock Island's Peoria Terminal used trackage right and the bridge of the Peoria & Pekin Union (another local switching line) to connect Peoria and Pekin. Only the end abutments remain from the bridge. They are just north of the current highway bridge.

John Woodrow posted
on a old postcard that was given to me Pekin bridge the year????
David Jordan The upper bridge is likely the bridge completed by interurban Peoria & Pekin Terminal in 1900. The lower bridge must be the original road bridge that was replaced in 1929 by a lift bridge (which was grade-separated from the railroad tracks).Paul Brewer I am not sure when the photo was taken, but the date on the letter on the back of this copy of the card appears to be 1907.https://www.cardcow.com/34342/river-scene-pekin-illinois/
Chip Gay The road bridge was a pain in the arse old family friend of my grandma's from Glasford rip she told us being a child In the family buggy and the bridge was too low and would often be flooded.

I'm flattered that a group admin, Roger Kujawa, shared a link to these notes