RI - Henley/Hoecker Bridge

This bridge (Along with every bridge from the Gasconade river bridge to the town of Versailles.) was designed and built by A.J. Tullock. The main span is 375 feet long and 60 ft. deep at the center.

The bridge crosses the valley at about 50 ft. above the ground and 70 ft. above low water.

This was pulled from an old railroad gazette - The concrete pier under the east end of the span was sunk to rock 36 ft. below low water with a pneumatic caisson, and is 106 ft. high from foundation to coping.

Locally, this bridge is most often called the Hoecker Trestle, named after the no-longer existing trade center on the east bank of the river. There also was a Hoecker School, where my mother-in-law taught in the early 1930s. The Hoecker, or St. Elizabeth side, is more accessible and enroute to that area from St. Elizabeth you will pass the scene of a long-ago derailment, with the old railcars continuing to rest in the woods where they tumbled.

Actuallu, Union Pacific doesn't even own the line anymore. In fact, the whole line was sold to Ameren and the operate a small section from STL to Union, MO. It's called the Missouri Central Railway. You can read more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Central_Railroad

Or here, although this site doesn't appear to have been updated in over 10 years judging by the dates mentioned:

http://www.missouri-central.railfan.net/

I think its safe to say most of the line will never be operated again :( I am glad I stumbled upon these pictures though...I plan on trying to ride my bike on some of the abandonded sections this winter and get as many pictures as I can. Never know how much longer it will be around before it disappears into history!!

should be reused is UPRR considering reusing this line?

Impressive bridge. Would be nice to see it reused.

Just one of the two impressive bridges on the old Rock Island line. Turning this semi abandoned line into a rail to trail would save this bridge.

Just a friendly correction. The road you took the picture from is South Teal Bottom Road, not South Neal Bottom.

Thought I could outdue your viewpoint so I drove around the town of Henley for half an hour trying to find better access. When I couldn't, I found a local who shared a beer with me and told me about a private drive leading to a boat ramp just to the south of the bridge. I made the visit to which no one seemed to mind any trespassing, and the view was indeed better. One could walk the old rails in the winter months but not during the spring or summer.