Re: [CBQ] where is this bridge?

["Philip Weibler via groups.io" <pawnbaw=sbcglobal.net@groups.io>]

My O my -

The train is crossing the Lower Bay Bridge.  The river bridge is a long hike from here. There is also an Upper Bay Bridge which has a swing span but it was never opened.  The line from Galesburg came down the face of the bluff to Carthage Junction, crossed the Upper Bay Bridge, the island, and then the River Bridge to Missouri.

The TRRA group has an excellent book on the Zephyr-Rocket  train that explains the track layout at Quincy - the 'loop-the-loop' arrangement.  When the new Kansas City Zephyr and American Royal Zephyr went into service early in 1953 all passenger trains stopped at 'Quincy-West' which was on the Missouri side of the river.  The lower bay bridge was removed in 1954.  I think I calculated that the ZR saved about 20 minutes running time by staying on the Missouri side at West Quincy.

The new high bridge opened in 1960.  It came right off the bluff on the Illinois side and came back down at Keokuk Junction on the Missouri side.  Amtrak trains unload passengers on the east side of Quincy and then deadhead over the river to park at West Quincy.  If it is not a "cabbage' trainset it can be turned on the wye at Keokuk Jct. to start back east.

Quincy is one of the best-kept secrets in Illinois.  A flourishing river town with rail lines going seven different ways.  You should read "The Quincy Branch" book by Ralph Linroth.

The old bridge at Quincy was pretty shakey by 1952-'53 and steam locomotives were barred from crossing.  Freight trains made up in the yard at West Quincy were dragged over by diesel switch engines and turned over to steamers on the Illinois side.      PAW

On Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 09:05:39 PM CDT, james miller via groups.io <jimbro67=gmail.com@groups.io> wrote:

Photo is at Quincy, Illinois. The Mississippi River bridge is behind the island which is out of sight on this angle . Picture was taken from the depot tower. Highway bridge is visible.

On Sat, Sep 13, 2025, 3:39 PM Douglas Hosler via groups.io <dehosler40=gmail.com@groups.io> wrote:

Side note: I remember this photo from a book.  if I recall right the Expo was on a detour caused by flooding.  Otherwise it would have no business being there. 

Is the train at Quincy or across the Mississippi from Quincy?

Doug H. 

On Sep 13, 2025, at 3:10 PM, james miller via groups.io <jimbro67=gmail.com@groups.io> wrote:



That's the Quincy Bay bridge which allowed trains to run through the station at 2nd and Oak replacing the single end depot on Front street in 1898-99. It was removed in 1953 when the new depot was built and moved to West Quincy, MO, allowing a faster schedule by not having trains run through the loop.

On Sat, Sep 13, 2025, 12:08 PM Brian Walsh via groups.io <bcw.backshop=sympatico.ca@groups.io> wrote:

Thank you very much Richard. I am off to the Gallery.

 

Brian

------ Original Message ------
From: rgortowski=aol.com@groups.io
To: cbq@groups.io
Sent: Saturday, September 13th 2025, 01:04 PM
Subject: Re: [CBQ] where is this bridge?
 

 

Brian,

 

That is the Expo Flyer crossing the Mississippi River in 1944, arriving in Quincy, IL.  On the Society's SmugMug Photo Gallery, there are three images.  The searchable SmugMug numbers are 1251, 1252, and 1253.

 

Rich G.

 

On Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 11:51:03 AM CDT, Brian Walsh via groups.io <bcw.backshop=sympatico.ca@groups.io> wrote:

 

 

Folks

 

I just found this fabulous picture on the Internet of a CB&Q passenger train crossing a (Mississippi?) river onto a series of girder bridges supported by steel trestles. It just so happens that I am building a swing bridge with attaching trestle-supported bridges for my CB&Q model railroad and I am not sure just how the swing bridge meets the trestle-supported bridge. If anyone could tell me where this photo was taken or could enlighten me as to what the junction of those two bridges looks like I would be very pleased.

 

Thanks in advance

Brian Walsh

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