Keithsburg Rail Bridge, Railway bridge across Mississippi River between Keithsburg, Illinois and Louisa County, Iowa, United States.
The Keithsburg Rail Bridge spans the Mississippi River with a single railroad track supported by a vertical-lift truss structure measuring 220 feet in length.
Built in 1909 by the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway, the bridge replaced an earlier Iowa Central railroad crossing constructed in 1886 by the Phoenix Bridge Company.
The bridge represents early twentieth-century engineering advancement in American railway infrastructure, connecting communities across the Mississippi River for transportation and commerce.
The bridge operated until 1971 when the Chicago and North Western discontinued service, with its vertical lift mechanism remaining locked in the upward position.
In 1981, a fireworks incident destroyed the vertical lift section, causing it to fall into the river and block Mississippi River barge traffic for over a week.
Location: Illinois
Location: Iowa
Official opening: 1909
GPS coordinates: 41.10500,-90.95280
Latest update: March 6, 2025 17:18
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