BNSF/CB&Q Bridges over Mississippi River at Quincy, IL

(Bridge Hunter, Old Bridge Hunter, Oldest Bridge Hunter, John A. Weeks III, no Historic Bridges, Satellite)

This high, 63' clearance, fixed-span bridge was built in 1960 to replace an 1899 swing bridge. The 300' navigation channel is on the east side of the river.

John Weeks

The navigation channel was on the west side for the previous bridge.

Forgotten Railways, Roads, and Places shared
CB&Q crossing over from Quinsippi Island.
J Pete Hedgpeth Detouring Exposition Flyer IIRC
Steven Gray Beautiful early E units
David Karlson posted
Greg Hutcheson This was probably before they used the West Quincy station . That bridge was replaced later too ?

The above bridge was removed because CB&Q used to have two bridges so that their passenger trains could go past their depot. The southern bridge became obsolete when passenger trains became obsolete. And the northern bridge was replaced by today's bridge to straighten the route. This topo map shows the original two CB&Q bridges across the Quincy Bay.

1925 Quincy Quad @ 62,500

Paul Kevin Geers posted

1906. CB&Q crossing the Broadway bay swing bridge going to the main station.

Winter time. QUINCY, ILL

John Lewis posted
The calendar on the wall tells me that on this day in 1960, the CB&Q bridge over the Mississippi River at Quincy Illinois opened for traffic. The photo of the Illinois Railway Museum’s Nebraska Zephyr with E5 9911A was taken on 23 Sep 2012.
John van Loon The Q of CB&Q.
John also posted in CB&Q Railfans
Paul D. French I heard stories about the old Quincy bridge from old heads. That bridge did not have a solid foundation and the whole thing would shake when a train crossed. I was also told that the CB&Q had been planning to build a new Burlington bridge. But the sad shape of the Quincy bridge made them change their plans.
John posted again
The calendar on the wall tells me that on this date in 1960, the Quincy bridge over the Mississippi River was officially opened. As it was a few years before my birth, please allow this photo of the Illinois Railroad Museum's Nebraska Zephyr crossing the bridge on 23 Sep 2012.

Viral Media posted

The Nebraska Zephyr, a former CB&Q passenger train now owned by the Illinois Railway Museum got a chance to stretch her legs - topping 79 mph, if not more, during a rare excursion from Chicago to Quincy and return both Saturday and Sunday. Seen here, the articulated passenger train and shovel nosed E5 cross the Quincy Rail Bridge into West Quincy, MO to be serviced and turned around for the return trip. September 22nd, 2012.

Photo Credit to Mitch Goldman.

Tim Senesac: With PTC requirements on main lines, unless paired with a PTC locomotive, will not happen again.

Robert Leese: Tim Senesac an RFE once told me the E5 brake equipment cannot be modified to work with PTC.

Stephen Karlson: There's a set of Illinois Railway Museum postcards featuring this trip that includes a photograph at this location. The Saturday trip was a bit eventful with Amtrak, the museum, the railroad, and online fire departments sorting out whether embers from the dining car led to brush fires along the line.

Mike May: Was an honor to be the Engineer.

Steven J. Brown posted
Frisco 1522 crosses the Mississippi River at Quincy, Illinois - May 27, 1992.

This 1899 swing bridge had wagon decks until a road bridge was built in 1930. The navigation channel was on the west side of the river, and according to John Week The 1960 "configuration has resulted in fewer accidents and bridge strikes." This bridge replaced an 1866 bridge.

Photo from Bridge Hunter Old, Public Domain: Published Prior to 1923

Photo from Bridge Hunter Old, Public Domain: Published Prior to 1923

Mississippi River photos posted
Bridge across the Mississippi River at Quincy in 1886. The bridge not only carried trains but also had lanes on both sides for wagons and other vehicle.

This 1866 bridge was a Whipple Truss. I can't tell if it had a movable span. It looks rather low for steamboat smokestacks.

Bridge Hunter Oldest, Public Domain: Published Prior to 1923

Bridges Now and Then posted
The Quincy Bridge, crossing the Mississippi River, linking Illinois and Missouri 1868. (Structure Magazine)

Dave Durham posted two photos with the comment:

West\East approaches of CB&Q Mississippi River bridge at Quincy, believed built in 1899. Sign at West approach reads "trains will use 2 1\2 minutes in crossing bridge".Both photos, Unknown Photographer. Quincy Public Library; Quincy Area Historic Photo Collection.

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John Week said the predecessor of the 1960 bridge was about 500' downstream on the western side. It looks like the embankment still exists. Modern trains have to do a S-curve on the Missouri side to cross the current bridge. Looking at an old aerial photo, the tree line going west on the Missouri side is an abandoned railroad route. The northern part of the Quinsippi Island Road is on the old alignment.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Dave Durham posted two photos with the comment:

West\East approaches of CB&Q Mississippi River bridge at Quincy, believed built in 1899. Sign at West approach reads "trains will use 2 1\2 minutes in crossing bridge".Both photos, Unknown Photographer. Quincy Public Library; Quincy Area Historic Photo Collection.

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