Wabash Bridge (St. Charles, Missouri)

The Wabash Bridge carries a single track railroad from St. Louis County to the city of St. Charles. It is positioned next to the Discovery Bridge. It is used by the freight trains of Norfolk Southern Railway.

Wabash Bridge
Coordinates38.7974°N 90.4673°W / 38.7974; -90.4673
CarriesNorfolk Southern Railway
CrossesMissouri River
LocaleSt. Louis County and St. Charles County in Missouri
Characteristics
DesignCantilevered Through Truss Bridge
History
Opened1936
Location
The first Wabash Bridge 1871

History

The original Wabash Bridge, built in 1871, was the first bridge in St. Charles County. The original Wabash bridge saw multiple incidents during its lifetime. In 1870, a steel column collapsed during construction resulting in the deaths of eighteen bridge workers. In 1879, a portion of the bridge collapsed during a train crossing. Eighteen train cars fell into the river resulting in five deaths. In 1881, the bridge failed again during a train crossing resulting in freight cars falling into the river. An engineer, John Kirby, died along with thirty-one cattle contained in the freight cars. In 1884, the Montana steamboat collided with the pier of the bridge. The steamboat could not be removed and was left in the river. It lies on the St. Louis County side of the Missouri River near the site of the first Wabash Bridge and can still be seen when the river is low.[1]

In 1936, the current Wabash Bridge was built about half a mile upstream from the old bridge, and the old bridge was demolished.[2] In June 2013, the Missouri River rose rapidly overnight causing a crane mounted to a barge to collide into the truss structure of the bridge. The crane, subcontracted by The Walsh Group was working up river on the new I-70 Blanchette Memorial Bridge. Train traffic across the bridge was halted for the four days while the crane was against the structure. In 2016, owner operator Norfolk Southern Corporation began installing a new tie deck across the bridge with a completion date of 2020.

See also

References
  1. http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMDG40_History_of_the_Wabash_Bridge_St_Charles_Missouri
  2. https://bridgehunter.com/mo/st-charles/first-wabash-rr/
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