I used to take the train from St Louis up to Chicago and up to Rockford quite a lot on the weekends beautiful scenery and lots of old railroad memorabilia
We took the Henry Hudson, Royal Street, and two other private cars from St Louis to new Orleans (via Chicago on the City of New Orleans) in January 2002 to the Super Bowl Rams game. We had a great time riding and staying on the train in New Orleans. considering that was our transportation to/from NOLA, Hotel, and food/drinks on the train while the train was in motion, it was a relative cheap trip to the Super Bowl. The cost was divided by 36 people with 4 rail cars. Can out to about $1200/person
That 106 year old bridge is till doing its intended job. Started in 1909 by the City of St. Louis, it did not see any rail traffic until 1928, due to local politics and the Terminal RR that had a monopoly on rail traffic across the river. It remained the property of the city until 1989 when the Terminal traded the historic Eads Bridge for the Mac Arthur. I once rode a motor scooter across the bridge on a dark rainy June night in 1957 .
+Ken Bird That scooter ride must have been an adventure! Not for anyone afraid of heights! Amazing how much of US infrastructure is near, or over 100 years old! The Hudson and East river tubes in NYW will have to be replaced soon, also near 100 years old.
might well use a little d and c then, rust never sleeps but i know nobody wants to pay for it so we will wait until a RR version of the I-35 disaster then all the drive-by media can fill with how mean big RR is, .... the writing is on the wall
@zasco1957 Hi and thanks for commenting. I rode on the GM&O's Abraham Lincoln out of St. Louis to Chicago (and on to Ohio, as well) but I don't recall if we went over the McArthur or if the Eads bridge was still running passenger trains over it. We did have a dome car in the consist so I am pretty sure it was the McArthur. Glad you enjoyed the video...
I would love to ride that Amtrak train. Ever since I was in highschool I've been actively trying to figure out how much I would need to bring for a trip to St Louis from Chicago but I haven't been able to figure it out besides train fare. The farthest I've been on my own in Amtrak is Milwaukee.
i know i've ridden across eads bridge on the metrolink, must have gone across mcarthur when i went to chicago back in the mid 1990s when i was going to oregon....if only i was aware of my surroundings then, but to be fair i was 8 and it was extremely early in the morning and all you could see is the arch...
What a great video! I have seen that bridge several times. It's a beast! Which bridge does the St. Louis-Chicago Amtrak trains use? After this train crossed into Illinois- what railroad is it on? I see the position-light signals, so I am guessing ex-Pennsy or ex-B&O?
Locomotive Mike, the railroad that the Lincoln service trains, plus the Texas Eagle uses between Chicago & St. Louis is the Union Pacific, before it was Southern Pacific which before was the Chicago, Missouri & Western, which before was the Illinois a central Gulf which before was the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, which before that was the Alton(Chicago & Alton-which was owned by the Baltimore & Ohio before they sold it to the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio in 1947.)
That makes me want to ride Amtrak again I've ride them seven or so times the Texas eagle SanAntonio to st louis and on the Missouri river the mule and Ann Rutledge between st Louis and Kansas city
The bridge is SOOO scary look. I am taking this train from Houston to Chicago in exactly one week. Do you think its safe? Or should i resort to an alternate method of transport?
Having never been in this area, it looks to me as though they made the elevated length of this bridge as long as it is for 2 reasons: 1) It looks as if some of the land in that area may be kow lying and swampy. Hence a good reason to make an extended solid structure. 2) further on,m it serves to go over a somewhat congested area, minimising the need for dangerous level crossings. Does this seem right?
On the west end (Missouri) it's going over an old warehouse district and city streets, so your second answer is somewhat correct - not the level crossings part though - the tracks are far above street level. On the east side (Illinois), while the land is low and swampy, I think the main reason for the long approaches is to keep the steepness of the grade low. It would have taken an awful amount of dirt fill, so the bridge approaches were easier and cheaper.
Tom Finger Check out the Huey P Long Bridge in New Orleans. VERY long approaches because the adjoining land is both flat and developed. In both cases, the bridges had to be high enough to let ships and barges pass under, hence the long approaches.
I wish I were rich enough to buy the bridge back from Purina, or whoever owns and parks on it, and fix the top deck (I think all of it on the IL side has been knocked down), and open it for pedestrians.
Many variables on cost, of course. About $3,500 to $5,000 a day will get you started. Divide that up among a group of 12 to 15 people and it isn't so bad. Google AAPRCO or privaterailcars for some ideas! Thanks and good day...
great shot outside the car. I'm glad no cameras were broken during the filming of this video.
I used to take the train from St Louis up to Chicago and up to Rockford quite a lot on the weekends beautiful scenery and lots of old railroad memorabilia
We took the Henry Hudson, Royal Street, and two other private cars from St Louis to new Orleans (via Chicago on the City of New Orleans) in January 2002 to the Super Bowl Rams game. We had a great time riding and staying on the train in New Orleans. considering that was our transportation to/from NOLA, Hotel, and food/drinks on the train while the train was in motion, it was a relative cheap trip to the Super Bowl. The cost was divided by 36 people with 4 rail cars. Can out to about $1200/person
That 106 year old bridge is till doing its intended job. Started in 1909 by the City of St. Louis, it did not see any rail traffic until 1928, due to local politics and the Terminal RR that had a monopoly on rail traffic across the river. It remained the property of the city until 1989 when the Terminal traded the historic Eads Bridge for the Mac Arthur. I once rode a motor scooter across the bridge on a dark rainy June night in 1957 .
+Ken Bird That scooter ride must have been an adventure! Not for anyone afraid of heights! Amazing how much of US infrastructure is near, or over 100 years old! The Hudson and East river tubes in NYW will have to be replaced soon, also near 100 years old.
LOL Ken. Did you have to pay the 10 cent toll? My Dad was probably crossing the bridge that same night playing a jazz band gig over in STL from Dupo.
I don't think the toll was in affect , at least I can't remember paying one.
might well use a little d and c then, rust never sleeps but i know nobody wants to pay for it so we will wait until a RR version of the I-35 disaster then all the drive-by media can fill with how mean big RR is, .... the writing is on the wall
Did you make it?
@zasco1957 Hi and thanks for commenting. I rode on the GM&O's Abraham Lincoln out of St. Louis to Chicago (and on to Ohio, as well) but I don't recall if we went over the McArthur or if the Eads bridge was still running passenger trains over it. We did have a dome car in the consist so I am pretty sure it was the McArthur.
Glad you enjoyed the video...
Though it's no longer in Use, the Top Deck of the MacArthur Bridge was once Route 66.
Wow! Just absolutely amazing! It's way up there too!
Never mind, just realized I was putting the wrong signal mast with the wrong track.
real nice, thats one heck of a bridge
Thats unreal! Great video, tape looks spectacular for 2002!
I would love to ride that Amtrak train. Ever since I was in highschool I've been actively trying to figure out how much I would need to bring for a trip to St Louis from Chicago but I haven't been able to figure it out besides train fare. The farthest I've been on my own in Amtrak is Milwaukee.
There is no way I would get on that train
The noises it made while crossing, oh my gosh
Yes, steel on steel. Plus all the stress and tension of the shifting weight. Thanks for commenting!
Excellant video!
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for the comments!
gmpullman I walked across this bridge, very scary
Thank You!
@LocalRailfan Thank You for your comments! Camera was a Sony VX2000. A fine machine.
Hello from Kansas 🇺🇸
Nice State 'ya got there!
i know i've ridden across eads bridge on the metrolink, must have gone across mcarthur when i went to chicago back in the mid 1990s when i was going to oregon....if only i was aware of my surroundings then, but to be fair i was 8 and it was extremely early in the morning and all you could see is the arch...
@gmpullman you're welcome how much does it cost to get a Pravite car?
I would love to travel from LA to New York on Amtrak. Could take 1,000s of pictures and still not capture enough of America.
What a great video! I have seen that bridge several times. It's a beast! Which bridge does the St. Louis-Chicago Amtrak trains use? After this train crossed into Illinois- what railroad is it on? I see the position-light signals, so I am guessing ex-Pennsy or ex-B&O?
Locomotive Mike, the railroad that the Lincoln service trains, plus the Texas Eagle uses between
Chicago & St. Louis is the Union Pacific, before it was Southern Pacific which before was the
Chicago, Missouri & Western, which before was the Illinois a central Gulf which before was the
Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, which before that was the Alton(Chicago & Alton-which was owned by the
Baltimore & Ohio before they sold it to the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio in 1947.)
@@christopherorourke6362 Your good!
GREAT...GREAT...GREAT...
That makes me want to ride Amtrak again I've ride them seven or so times the Texas eagle SanAntonio to st louis and on the Missouri river the mule and Ann Rutledge between st Louis and Kansas city
@gmpullman you too well I'm bout to ride the Amtrak. California Zyper next month to Reno NV.
Looooove your video.
The bridge is SOOO scary look. I am taking this train from Houston to Chicago in exactly one week. Do you think its safe? Or should i resort to an alternate method of transport?
I wonder what year thsi is ?
Hello, This was January 14, 2002. The private cars are returning from a convention of private rail car owners in Kansas City. Thank you.
would love to see someone model that bridge in HO scale on a super club layout and the long approaches too
Yeah, it would have to be a super club. I'm guessing to do it right you would need a basketball court-sized layout!
Thanks for the comments!
The condition of the roadbed is shocking!
@ecksan91 Thank you for watching!
That's a high ass bridge.
Wish they save the top deck
Don't count on 'authorities' to make the right choices. Thanks for commenting.
nice video
@RANDY2045 Thank You, Randy...
Big bridge!
@gmpullman so how was the Train Ride?
Do my eyes deceive me, or did that engineer run a "stop" signal?
Having never been in this area, it looks to me as though they made the elevated length of this bridge as long as it is for 2 reasons:
1) It looks as if some of the land in that area may be kow lying and swampy. Hence a good reason to make an extended solid structure.
2) further on,m it serves to go over a somewhat congested area, minimising the need for dangerous level crossings.
Does this seem right?
On the west end (Missouri) it's going over an old warehouse district and city streets, so your second answer is somewhat correct - not the level crossings part though - the tracks are far above street level. On the east side (Illinois), while the land is low and swampy, I think the main reason for the long approaches is to keep the steepness of the grade low. It would have taken an awful amount of dirt fill, so the bridge approaches were easier and cheaper.
Tom Finger Check out the Huey P Long Bridge in New Orleans. VERY long approaches because the adjoining land is both flat and developed.
In both cases, the bridges had to be high enough to let ships and barges pass under, hence the long approaches.
Used to ride The Saluki from Carbondale to Chicago. Always wanted to do this trip (STL to Chicago). I would have crossed that Bridge!
I wish I were rich enough to buy the bridge back from Purina, or whoever owns and parks on it, and fix the top deck (I think all of it on the IL side has been knocked down), and open it for pedestrians.
Sexiest bridge ever. I dream of the road deck being opened to peds and bikes.
That’s a long bridge I wonder if anyone has modeled it
Top Tenan
cool
Thanks! Glad you liked...
They don’t use that track but the one on top don’t they?
I love trestle bridges!
Many variables on cost, of course. About $3,500 to $5,000 a day will get you started. Divide that up among a group of 12 to 15 people and it isn't so bad. Google AAPRCO or privaterailcars for some ideas!
Thanks and good day...
it goes right under the road. it looks like investment in infrastructure is missing.