Hannibal Bridge - Kansas City MO
N 39° 06.746 W 094° 35.270
15S E 362720 N 4330453
The Hannibal bridge is a swinging truss bridge built in 1917 in Kansas City MO originally to accomodate car, pedestrial and rail traffic. In 1956 the auto deck was removed, making it exclusively a railroad bridge.
Waymark Code: WMGPKE
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 03/28/2013
Views: 3
The Hannibal Bridge is now owned by the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe RR. It spans the Missouri River near downtown Kansas City MO with two tracks that see heavy use every day.
The day we visited we were fortunate enough to see a BNSF train traverse the bridge. How many locos does one train need?!?!?
The best place (we think) to photograph the bridge is from the Town of Kansas Pedestrian Bridge overlook, or from the Riverfront Heritage Trail that runs along the Missouri River. The Ped Bridge crosses over a busy UP section of triple-track, so you have a good change of seeing more trains from the Ped Bridge. The parking coordinates will take you to the Ped Bridge parking lot.
From Wikipedia: (
visit link)
"The second Hannibal Bridge is a rail bridge over the Missouri River in Kansas City, Missouri connecting Jackson County, Missouri with Clay County, Missouri.
Opened in 1917, the bridge replaced the original Hannibal Bridge which crossed the river about 200 feet downstream. There are two decks on the bridge: the lower deck carried the railroad and the upper was for vehicular traffic. After the Broadway Bridge opened in 1956, vehicular traffic was switched over to the new span and the auto deck was removed later that year. It is owned and maintained by the BNSF Railway and carries two tracks. A bridge tender at the bridge can open and close the drawspan as well as operate the nearby ASB Bridge, which is also owned by BNSF.
The Hannibal Bridge survived the 1951 Kansas City flood after being hit by four river boats that tore lose from the mouth of the Kansas River, forcing the swinging span open." [end]
From Bridgehunter's website: (
visit link)
Overview: Through truss swing bridge over Missouri River on the BNSF Railway in Kansas City
Location: Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, and Clay County, Missouri
Status: Open to railroad traffic
History: Built 1917 to replace First Hannibal Bridge; auto deck abandoned 1956
Design: Double Deck swinging through truss
Also called: Hannibal Bridge