Lost/Wabash Bridge over Illinois River at Meredosia, IL

(Bridge Hunter; John Weeks III; Satellite, extrapolate the indicated land scar straight across the river; Satellite, I believe this is the east abutment.)

I did not realize that Wabash had two crossings of the Illinois River until I researched Richard's post below. The mainline crosses the river downstream from here at Valley City, IL.

The bridge was built in 1858, and the last train passed over the bridge on Jan 28, 1955. [John Weeks] According to Richard Mead's comment below, that was the last steam train because the Wabash leased two Pennsylvania GE 44-ton diesels that were light enough to use the bridge. The bridge was taken out of service on Nov 1, 1959.

Richard Mead posted
Richard Fiedler The ancient bridge was made of iron and not steel thus the fragility. The swing span was hit by barges further degrading it. I’ve heard stories that the crews were afraid of it so much that they would tie down the throttle of a mogul and let it creep across unmanned no double heading plus severe weight restrictions on cars.
Richard Mead Classic Trains Magazine was the inspiration for this short article. The spring edition featured a short article about the Keokuk Line, the last bastion of steam on the Wabash Railroad. The Wabash was one of the early railroads to dieselize in the early 1950’s except for the Keokuk branch line which ran northwest from Bluffs, IL, on the Decatur – Kansas City main, to Keokuk, Iowa. The Wabash kept a stable of Mogul 2-6-0 locomotives to service the branch line at the Bluffs yard even though by the 1950s EMD GP-7 and 9 diesels were the favored branch line motive power. According to the Classic Trains article a bridge over the Illinois River at Meredosia, IL kept the 2-6-0 Moguls alive up into early 1955. The bridge was a seven span through truss structure with one swing span which could not carry the weight of the EMD’s. The bridge was built in 1858 and in addition to the railroad it was used by wagons, motor vehicles and foot traffic until the mid 1930s when a highway bridge was built upriver. The bridge kept steam alive on the Keokuk Line, however, beginning in October 1954 there were only two Moguls left operating and they were making just cameo appearances operating only about 6 ½ miles to and over the Meredosie bridge. Wabash had built an engine spur where a diesel was stationed that would take the train on to Keokuk. The 2-6-0’s would stay on the spur and take the train back to Bluffs on the return. In early 1955 Wabash killed the Moguls by leasing two Pennsylvania Railroad GE 44-ton diesels to run between Bluffs and the Meredosia spur where a larger Wabash unit was stationed. The operation lasted until November 1, 1959 when the bridge was taken of service and the 7.6mile Meredosia-Versailles line was abandon. The bridge retirement was not a single event as the U. S. Corps of Engineers wanted both it and the mainline span at Valley City, IL removed as both had narrow openings for the navigation channel and barges would hit the bridge piers. The new Valley City Bridge was one of several big improvement projects started by the Wabash in the mid 1950’s. The first North American “Mogul” type locomotive built was for the Louisiana & Nashville Railroad in 1864. At the time it was the largest locomotive with more than 11,000 built between 1860 and 1910 by ALCO, Baldwin, Porter and other locomotive builders. They were generally used on freight trains but had enough speed to occasionally pull a light passenger train. Most North American railroads used them at one time or another. Today if you travel to Strasburg, PA, you can see and ride behind Strasburg Railroad number 89 originally built for the Canadian National in 1910. From my research there are several others that are operating in both standard gauge 4’ – 8 ½” and narrow gauge 3 foot. From the article Wabash historian Rob Adams stated the Wabash kept at the Bluffs yard five Class F-4 2-6-0 Mogul’s built in 1899 by Richmond Locomotive Works 569, 571, 573, 576 and 587 (their original numbers were in the 700’s) into 1952 for Keokuk branch service. 569 last run was in 1953 and she was scrapped in June 1955. 571 made her last run in August 1952 add was cut up in July 1953. In August 1954 587 made her last run and was cut up in September 1955. Wabash 576 was the last locomotive in service, surviving into early February 1955 and the cutting torch caught with her in June 1955. The 573 made her last run on January 28, 1955, but that summer the Wabash donated her to the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis where she reposes today.
Sam Anthony In the mid 60s it only served the highline. Now the track is a branch serving Dosh as it had a lot of high dollar freight.
Rick Chandler Look at the damage on the guide wall from being hit by barges. Dang!!!![The comments provide more photos of the 44-ton locomotive. The smoke coming out of the smoke stacks is a reminder that particle scrubbers were not added until after the Clean-Air Act in the 1970s.]

The four units in the power plant in the above photo have been replaced by bigger units.

Street View

James Holzmeier commented on Richard's post
This is what the abutment on the east bank looked like in the mid-1990s. I think it has some picnic tables on it now.
John Carson Still there but cleaned up some.

Randle M Biddle posted

One of our members posted an image of the bridge at Meredosia, Illinois. Does anyone know the date of the image?

The small ferry near the bridge abutment is very similar to one I have been researching which operated out of Phillips Ferry / Griggsville Landing, at Valley City Illinois. This ferry and its predecessor, the steam, stern paddlewheel "Z. Biddle" were both owned by members of my Dad's family.

That ferry made at least one trip to Beardstown, with my 4-year old Dad aboard c. 1921.

In addition to my lifelong interest in the Wabash RR, I am a vessel biographer, author and builder of fine scale models of unusual ships of many varieties.

Thanks very much, and it is a privilege to now be part of this group.

James Holzmeier commented on Richard's post
Somewhere I have a pic of Wes Hobson's gravestone that Van McCullough gave me. I can't find it right now. But Wes went to work as a bridge tender at the new Valley City bridge, and the bridge is carved into his tombstone.
Sam Anthony yes that bridge led on NW go Keokuk, but would not support any heavy locos and very narrow channel for boats.

Richard commented on his post

Dennis DeBruler commented on Richard's post
1941 Aerial Photo from IHLAP

Lisa Ruble posted four photos with the comment:

Lost Bridges of Pike County Illinois.... Wabash Railroad Bridge over the Illinois River at Morgan County IL and Pike County IL. The railroad bridge, completed in the 1861 (date is from the May 1861 Quincy Daily Herald), is now gone. In 1920 Wabash made plans to plank the railroad so that it could also be used as a wagon and automobile bridge. 5,000 people attended the opening of the newly planked bridge. The last train to pass over the Meredosia rail bridge was on January 28th 1955. When the new lift bridge was opened at Valley City in 1959 the bridge at Meredosia was dismantled. There is still one pier standing on the Meredosia side of the river. The Meredosia Bridge for automobile traffic opened in November 1936 and was demolished in August 2018.

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History of the Heartland posted

The Wabash steam engine roundhouse in Decatur was imaged 69 years ago today, on July 20, 1953.

The Wabash transition to diesel locomotives was then nearly complete. The roundhouse, which in previous decades would have been filled with steam engines undergoing routine service, is now empty. It would soon be demolished.

On the left track are four F-7 freight diesels. On the right track is an E-7 passenger engine and a diesel switcher. The setup on the right with hoppers for coaling and sanding the few remaining steam engines is now empty and idle.

We are looking to the west and in the distant background of the photo, behind the roundhouse, from center to left, is the long Wabash Freight Depot, the Walrus Manufacturing building, the Wabash crew quarters building, also known colloquially by traincrews as the Wabash YMCA, and the back of the Wabash Passenger Depot on the extreme left.

Photo: Decatur Public Library

Kevin Reynolds shared
Richard Fiedler: Wabash’s 11th District part of the original Northern Cross from Bluffs IL and north to Quincy IL and Keokuk IA used steam until 1955. There were 5 class F7 2-6-0’s that remained in use due to the old wrought iron swing bridge over the Illinois River in Meredosia. They were serviced and ran out of the wooden 3 stall roundhouse at Bluffs. The bridge was very old 1879 and rickety due to being repeatedly hit by barges over the decades. The heaviest power allowed were the old 2-6-0 Moguls and they could not be double headed either. Further weight restrictions on the bridge specified heavy cars be coupled to empties. Crews were afraid of the bridge. One of those moguls #573 survives at the National Museum of Transport in St Louis.

Richard commented on the History of the Heartland post

Richard commented on the History of the Heartland post
One of the 2-6-0 Moguls receiving “class overhaul” at the Decatur Shops in I believe 1953 or 1954. I believe this was number 573 which still survives. Photo WRRHS collection