Electric Line Viaduct

Al Bertrum is correct. This bridge was just south of Columbia. We used to play around it as kids in the 60's before they tore it down. If you look to the left while driving south from Columbia to Waterloo you can see spots where the old tracks ran. There is also an old brick building shortly after the new YMCA that my Dad says was a power sub-station. I still have an old trolley token my Dad gave me.

that line may have crossed the mckinley bridge from venice to north st louis, i know for fact the if you on northbound i-70 coming out of downtown st louis, there is still a brodge that goes over the top of the highway that has those kind of electric lines, it is located just north of madison street in north st louis, there was some talk not to long ago about making it into a bike trail or something

that line may have crossed the mckinley bridge from venice to north st louis, i know for fact the if you on northbound i-70 coming out of downtown st louis, there is still a brodge that goes over the top of the highway that has those kind of electric lines, it is located just north of madison street in north st louis, there was some talk not to long ago about making it into a bike trail or something

If you want to know where the line ran, there is a map available. However, it is copyrighted by John Szwajkart. His address (from 1983, I don't have a more current one) was 3334 Elm Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513. It was part of a book called the "Train Watcher's Guide to St. Louis" that I purchased at Union Station in St. Louis at the Train Shop back in the mid 1980's. Hope that this helps!

Mr. Bertram,

You are very correct. I live behind the Quarterback club and I need to get up there and get a couple of pictures of it when the leaves fall and you can actually see it! I also need to get up to Columbia and get pictures of the concrete piers that used to hold the interurban line bridge. Also if you remember the concrete piers from the trolley line crossing Cahokia Canal next to old rt 3. Wish I could have gotten a picture of the old rt 3 bridge!

Now that I see this bridge, Im wondering where did it cross the Mississippi River in St.louis? I been trying to figure out where does this line actually run in St.Louis and East St.Louis. So if you have answers, please email them to me. It would help so much.

I believe that this bridge was located just south of the Columbia city limits where the line crossed the old GM&O railroad line. The abutments for a bridge over the GM&O were visible for many years but may have been removed in recent years. The was an electric trolley line known as the East St. Louis, Columbia & Waterloo (interurban?) line. It was apparently in business from around the turn of the 20th Century until right before World War II (not sure when it was abandoned) and apparently ran from downtown St. Louis (across the Eads Bridge)through East St. Louis, Maplewood (now part of Cahokia), Cahokia, North Dupo, Dupo, Columbia (right down Main Street) and Waterloo where I believe it terminated. It essentially paralled old Illinois Route 3 and if you look closely, you can still see evidence of the route it took. For instance, it crossed right through the middle of what is now the Dupo Khourey League diamonds. On the north side of the complex, the bridge that carried the line over the creek is still there. I used to ride my bike over that bridge back when I was a kid in the 1960's. From Dupo to Columbia on old Illinois Route 3, the line used to parallel the highway just about a block to the west, where the Ameren/IP power lines now run. My dad knew this line well and said the trolleys travelled very fast along it. He also said that such a line would be a godsend nowadays with all of the traffic congestion. Hope that this helps!