St. Louis - Merchants vs. McArthur Bridges

[chertling]

I noticed on the route guides for the Texas Eagle that there are (or at the very least WERE) two bridges regularly used by Amtrak to cross the Mississippi River at St. Louis, the McArthur Bridge south of downtown and the Merchants Bridge north of Downtown. Is there anyone on the board familiar with the Eagle or the Lincoln Service trains who can confirm whether this is still the case and how frequently each route is used?

On my only previous trip between St. Louis and Chicago (via the now renamed State House) we took the McArthur Bridge... I am hoping my Chicago-St. Louis train next month takes the Merchants bridge as I was fascinated as a child by the train tunnels that ran through the grounds of the St. Louis Arch and the rail viaduct running north of the Arch grounds under the Eads Bridge and through Laclede's Landing.

 

[Neil_M]

I noticed on the route guides for the Texas Eagle that there are (or at the very least WERE) two bridges regularly used by Amtrak to cross the Mississippi River at St. Louis, the McArthur Bridge south of downtown and the Merchants Bridge north of Downtown. Is there anyone on the board familiar with the Eagle or the Lincoln Service trains who can confirm whether this is still the case and how frequently each route is used?
On my only previous trip between St. Louis and Chicago (via the now renamed State House) we took the McArthur Bridge... I am hoping my Chicago-St. Louis train next month takes the Merchants bridge as I was fascinated as a child by the train tunnels that ran through the grounds of the St. Louis Arch and the rail viaduct running north of the Arch grounds under the Eads Bridge and through Laclede's Landing.

When I went to St Louis in November my southbound train 301? (first one from Chicago) went over the McArthur Bridge and my return on northbound 304 went along Lacledes Landing. I also watched 304 and 22 go that way the previous day.

Maybe its southbound McArthur and northbound Merchants?

 

[Chi_Train_Fan]

I noticed on the route guides for the Texas Eagle that there are (or at the very least WERE) two bridges regularly used by Amtrak to cross the Mississippi River at St. Louis, the McArthur Bridge south of downtown and the Merchants Bridge north of Downtown. Is there anyone on the board familiar with the Eagle or the Lincoln Service trains who can confirm whether this is still the case and how frequently each route is used?
On my only previous trip between St. Louis and Chicago (via the now renamed State House) we took the McArthur Bridge... I am hoping my Chicago-St. Louis train next month takes the Merchants bridge as I was fascinated as a child by the train tunnels that ran through the grounds of the St. Louis Arch and the rail viaduct running north of the Arch grounds under the Eads Bridge and through Laclede's Landing.

I've travelled about 8 annual round trips on the Lincoln Service (Ann Rutledge and State House before) for the last 5 years. The Lincoln Service trains and the Texas Eagle make use of both bridges in both directions. It is all up to TRRA (Terminal Railroad Association) which way you go each and every trip. It seems that crews are always qualified on both approaches.

Cheers,

David Z.

Chicago, IL

 

[Larry H.]

Amtrak would no longer use the Eads bridge since it is now the domain of Metro Link. On the subject of the elevated track which ran along the levy, I have some recollections which in hind site are not too great. As a very young person we used to often ride the Admiral steam river boat down the mississippi. To access it one had to walk beneath the tracks. Often you would feel what seemed like rain falling from the line. But in reality it was the toilets dumping beneath the cars! Not too good for your snow cone!

 

[steveb]

I have taken both southbound and northbound Lincoln Service trains between St. Louis and Springfield 3 times since the summer of 2008. All trips were over the MacArthur bridge. I also like the Merchant bridge route better. I have not been on that bridge in years. I am taking the Texas Eagle on April 8 to Chicago. Maybe it will use the Merchant Bridge.

 

[WICT106]

Merchants Bridge, Saint Louis, MO:

Here.

MacArthur Bridge:

Here.