Wabash Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Wabash Bridge carries rail lines across the Mississippi River
between Hannibal, Missouri
and Illinois
.
since 1994, but it was originally constructed as a swing span
. The vertical lift span was relocated from a bridge over the Tennessee River
at Florence, Alabama
to increase the width of the navigational channel. During a three day outage, the previous span was removed and the replacement span was installed to minimize impact to traffic. Originally constructed for the Wabash Railroad
, currently owned by Norfolk Southern Railway
.
May 3, 1982 a 250 feet (76.2 m) truss span was struck by the towboat Northern King and collapsed into the river, closing the river to traffic for 9 hours. The tug lost power to one of its three engines while pushing 12 grain-filled barges in heavy current and struck the span knocking it into the river, entangling the tug and several barges. 3 barges broke loose and drifted downstream, missing Mark Twain Memorial Bridge. The bridge was owned by Norfolk and Western and the span was repaired.
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 Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
History
It has been a vertical lift bridgeLift bridge
A vertical-lift bridge or lift bridge is a type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck....
since 1994, but it was originally constructed as a swing span
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
. The vertical lift span was relocated from a bridge over the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
at Florence, Alabama
Florence, Alabama
Florence is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the northwestern corner of the state.According to the 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the city's population was 36,721....
to increase the width of the navigational channel. During a three day outage, the previous span was removed and the replacement span was installed to minimize impact to traffic. Originally constructed for the Wabash Railroad
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
, currently owned by Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
.
May 3, 1982 a 250 feet (76.2 m) truss span was struck by the towboat Northern King and collapsed into the river, closing the river to traffic for 9 hours. The tug lost power to one of its three engines while pushing 12 grain-filled barges in heavy current and struck the span knocking it into the river, entangling the tug and several barges. 3 barges broke loose and drifted downstream, missing Mark Twain Memorial Bridge. The bridge was owned by Norfolk and Western and the span was repaired.