ASB Bridge

I would like to know if anybody out there has a photograph of the asb bridge from the north side of the bridge approaching the south? I am currious to see what it looked like up on the top of the deck truss portion of the asb bridge before they removed the highway portion.

Thanks

From the look of the photos on this bridge page, it doesn't look like they "tore down" the bridge, but rather built a new automobile bridge nearby, and removed the approaches to the passenger deck to this bridge. The bridge is still used for railroad traffic, and believe me, if a railroad doesn't "need" something, they are more than eager to get rid of it, so it must be important for rail traffic still.

Main reasons for building a new automobile bridge is increased volume of traffic requiring more lanes, wider lanes to allow for modern wider vehicles, etc.

Question? When they tore down the bridge, why was the railroad portion left standing? Long ago, I believe I heard something to the effect of a city/railroad contract that stated the railroad bridge would stand for something like 100 years. Anyone know anything about this???

Question? Instead of the bridge being totally demolished, why was the railroad part left standing? Seems like years ago I heard there was a lengthy contract between the city and the railroad that the railroad bridge would remain for something like 100 years. Anyone know anything about this???

Kyle, you were right the first time. the roadway picture taken in 1986 is the south approach, take a look at the HAER airplane shots from '81. you will notice that the north truss is on a curve and very far away from the main span in the background of the picture.

the south approach is very close to the main span.

compare the two.

the picture thrid from the bottom IS the south approach truss.

I retract my prior statement, I misread the information.

It reads view to the north through truss. Sorry.

My mistake.

I like the new pictures. I noticed that the approach truss shown in the 3rd picture from the bottom is actually the south approach truss, it is labled the north truss. The north truss was much lower profile than the south truss is. If you look in the pictures dating back to 1981 they show this difference.

To answer Kyle, yes and no.

The bridge's old auto deck is being considered for light-rail use, because of its design, the way the lower level can be lifted without stopping traffic on top.

However, light-rail still is very heavy, and with the BNSF railway running heavy-rail below, it may not hold that much.

However, there is a another bridge that is being considered that is not listed on this site, The Second Hannibal Bridge, it is about 400 feet upstream of the A.S.B., and it as well has an abandoned auto deck, but it is a swing bridge, and Kansas City, Missouri thinks that could be a problem, due that both the rail and auto decks would be stopped for river traffic when the span is open, but the A.S.B. would not, as of its lift design.

Another, is the Heart of America bridge, the A.S.B.'s replacement, it is a girder bridge, and it too is not strong enough for light-rail, as it is for automobiles only.

So, the subject is very well open, and the Armour-Swift-Burlington bridge may have the upper deck used again, but, like I said, the heavyness is the problem.

We will all have to wait.

I have heard a rumor that the A.S.B. bridge might be re-habilitated for use with the light rail in kansas city. Is this true or not?

does anyone have any photos of the bridge during the removal of the auto deck?

I would like to see some picutres of it while the upper deck was being removed.

does anyone have any??

This bridge is one of two of its type ever made, and is an honor to have this in my town.

I live on Kansas City, so this is kind of fun to have such a rare bridge in my town.

Below is a recent photo of the bridge, and from the looks of it, i think the bridge got a new paint job in the color Brown.