Burlington Rail Bridge

Infobox_Bridge
bridge_name= Burlington Rail Bridge


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carries= Double track rail line
crosses= Mississippi River
locale= Burlington, Iowa and Gulf Port, Illinois
maint= BNSF Railway
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design= 6 truss spans and one swing-span
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open= 1893
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coordinates= coord|40|47|55|N|91|05|31|W|region:US_type:landmark
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The Burlington Bridge carries a double tracked rail lines across the Mississippi River between Burlington, Iowa, and Gulf Port, Illinois. The bridge is currently owned by BNSF Railway as part of its Chicago to Denver mainline. It is somewhat controversial in that its swing-span only allows one barge to pass at a time and the US Coast Guard has declared it a navigational hazard. The bridge is planned to be replaced with a vertical lift bridge to double the width of the navigational channel once about $40 million is appropriated. As of 2005, around half of the estimate has been approved. Amtrak's "California Zephyr" crosses this bridge. The original bridge at this location was constructed in 1868. It was reconstructed in 1893 in its current form. On May 1, 2008, 5 fully loaded barges broke loose during a period of high water. One struck the bridge and became lodged under it. The bridge was closed until midday on May 2, when one track was opened after it was deemed safe. The barge was removed during the afternoon of May 3 and the other track was reopened that evening bringing the bridge back to full use to carry the dozens of trains that cross it daily.

ee also

*List of crossings of the Upper Mississippi River

External links

* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.ia0172 Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress)] Survey number HAER IA-20
* [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.ne0042 Historic American Engineering Record (Library of Congress)] - Survey number HAER NE-2. 500+ data pages discuss Chief Engineer George S. Morrison and many of his bridges including this bridge.
* [http://www.museum.state.il.us/RiverWeb/landings/Ambot/Archives/History/ts3.html RiverWeb]

Crossings navbox
structure = Bridges
place = Mississippi River
bridge = Burlington Rail Bridge
bridge signs =
upstream = Great River Bridge
upstream signs =
downstream = Fort Madison Toll Bridge
downstream signs =