Thebes Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Thebes Bridge is a truss bridge
carrying the Union Pacific Railroad
(previously carried the Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific, in a joint operation) across the Mississippi River
between Illmo, Missouri
and Thebes, Illinois
. It is owned by the Southern Illinois and Missouri Bridge Company, now a UP subsidiary.
, Illinois Central Railroad
, Missouri Pacific Railway, St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
, and St. Louis Southwestern Railway
. The designer of the bridge was American
engineer
Ralph Modjeski
. The Missouri Pacific and SLIM&S merged in 1917, and in 1945 the C&EI sold its 1/5 share to the Missouri Pacific, giving the latter company, since merged into the UP, a majority interest.
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
carrying the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
(previously carried the Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific, in a joint operation) across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
between Illmo, Missouri
Illmo, Missouri
Illmo is an unincorporated community in Scott County, Missouri. It is next to Scott City. Its post office has closed and its mail now comes from Scott City. The community was founded in 1905 and its name is a contraction of Illinois and Missouri as the community is near Illinois and in Missouri....
and Thebes, Illinois
Thebes, Illinois
Thebes is a village in Alexander County, Illinois, United States. The population was 478 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Thebes is located at ....
. It is owned by the Southern Illinois and Missouri Bridge Company, now a UP subsidiary.
History
The Southern Illinois and Missouri Bridge Company was incorporated in Illinois on December 28, 1900 to own the bridge and 4.64 miles (7.5 km) of connecting rail line. It was initially owned equally by the Chicago and Eastern Illinois RailroadChicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
The Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. Louis, and Evansville. Founded in 1877, it grew aggressively and stayed relatively strong throughout the Great Depression and two World Wars before being purchased by the Missouri Pacific...
, Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
, Missouri Pacific Railway, St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway
The St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway was a historic railroad that operated in Missouri, and Arkansas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
, and St. Louis Southwestern Railway
St. Louis Southwestern Railway
The St. Louis Southwestern Railway , known by its nickname of "The Cotton Belt Route" or simply Cotton Belt, was organized on January 15, 1891, although it had its origins in a series of short lines founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1870 that connected northeastern Texas to Arkansas and southeastern...
. The designer of the bridge was American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski
Ralph Modjeski was a Polish-born American civil engineer who achieved prominence as a pre-eminent bridge designer in the United States.-Life:...
. The Missouri Pacific and SLIM&S merged in 1917, and in 1945 the C&EI sold its 1/5 share to the Missouri Pacific, giving the latter company, since merged into the UP, a majority interest.