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| Name | UP Moreau River Bridge Missouri Pacific Railroad Bridge #33A |
| Built By | Missouri Pacific Railroad |
| Currently Owned By | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Substructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 300 Feet Total, 160 Foot Main Span |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 25 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Warren Deck Truss, Deck Plate Girder and Concrete Slab |
| Substructure Design | Concrete |
| Date Built | 1926 |
| Traffic Count | 30 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Missouri Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 33A |
| Union Pacific Railroad Bridge Number | 121.10 |
| Significance | Moderate Significance |
| Documentation Date | 6/17/2016 |
In the early 1850s, the Pacific Railroad charted a new 5-foot 6-inch gauge railroad, extending from St. Louis, Missouri to Kansas City, Missouri. Construction began on the railroad in 1852, and the first 5 miles from downtown St. Louis to the Maplewood neighborhood were completed that year. An additional 30 miles to Pacific opened in 1853, followed by an additional 41 miles to Hermann in 1855. An additional 45 miles to Jefferson City were completed in 1856, followed by an additional 37 miles to Tipton in 1858, 5 miles to Dow in 1859, 13 miles to Smithton in 1860, 8 miles to Sedalia in 1861, 7 miles to Dresden in 1863, 22 miles to Warrensburg in 1864 and 65 miles to Kansas City in 1865. By 1869, the line would be converted to standard gauge to improve operations. The Pacific Railroad would be seized by the State of Missouri in 1868, and sold to the Missouri Pacific Railway in 1876. MP had amassed a large collection of railroad lines, particularly in
Missouri and Kansas. This line served as a principal mainline for the company, serving as the
primary route across Missouri. The railroad
reorganized to the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1917. Between 1926 and 1929, the line between Jefferson City and St. Louis would be upgraded, with double tracks and realignments. Additional improvements west of Jefferson City would be made in the late 1940s. The MP was merged
into the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in 1982. Today, Union Pacific
continues to operate the St. Louis to Jefferson City segment of this line as the Jefferson City Subdivision, and the Jefferson City to Kansas City segment as the Sedalia Subdivision. The route continues to serve as a mainline for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Located east of Jefferson City, this large deck truss bridge carries the Union Pacific mainline across the Moreau River. The first bridge at this location was likely a wooden trestle bridge. In 1881, this bridge was replaced by a 175-foot Pratt through truss span, fabricated by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Works. It is believed that the bridge may have been again rebuilt in the late 1890s, and the old span likely used elsewhere. By the early 1920s, it had become apparent that the line between Jefferson City and St. Louis would need to be upgraded to double track. In an effort to bypass the nearby Moreau Tunnel, a new bridge would be constructed on a new alignment. This new bridge consisted of a 160-foot, 8-panel riveted Warren deck truss, approached by a 40-foot deck plate girder span on the west end, and an 80-foot span of the same design on the east end. In addition, a concrete slab span was installed on the east end, and the entire bridge would rest on new concrete substructures. The truss span utilizes a heavy design, with laced members and large riveted connections. During the early 20th Century, the Warren design became popular for railroad truss bridges. This design was strong, durable and provided a simple design. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. The author has ranked the bridge as being moderately significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Reconstruction of line |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |