This Katy RR video tells the true story of how & why the MK&T RR arrived at a point on the Missouri River at Boonville, MO. The Katy Trail now is the Highway to our History and a Trail Way to our Future. Thank You Ozark Outsider for this informative video.
Thanks! Are you the Wayne Lammers from Boonville who has extensive collections and knowledge of local history? I've been trying to find a way to get in touch with you and haven't been successful. You can find our contact info in this channel's information or on our website at ozarkoutsider.com. I hope you'll check out our other Katy content as well, including the two-part series on the Rocheport tunnel. It'd be great to make direct contact with you.
I agree that the idea that pedestrian access to the top of the bridge is the best answer. Who do we lobby to get that included in the Missouri state parks budget?
Wow,so much info. Lived IN Sedalia for awhile so the detailed history is interesting. Very few folks understand that link from Sedalia to cowboy culture of cattle drives etc.
That was 20 years ago, and it's no longer the case. An agreement was reached and Union Pacific transferred ownership to the City of Boonville in 2013. See these links for examples, a quick search will turn up others. www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/a-community-movement-saved-boonvilles-katy-bridge-now-they-have-to-restore-it/article_870b0b44-4c05-11e9-a13d-77aa4d9e4020.html www.up.com/aboutup/community/community_ties/bridge_031813.htm
Great video! I’ve ridden the Katy Trail twice and have wondered about the railroad bridge vs. the highway bridge. You satisfied my curiosity about it. I sure hope Missouri State Parks takes a page from Arkansas and converts the railroad bridge for use. Heck, I’d even support instituting a trail pass fee to fund the conversion.
Us, too! It'd be really meaningful to be able to cross the river there again. Thanks for your kind comment, and we hope you check out our other Katy Trail content.
Good question. It's locked in the upper position because navigation regulations require it. Unfortunately, there's almost no barge traffic on the Missouri, but as long as it's managed as a navigable waterway, bridges have to meet legal navigation standards for clearance, to allow theoretical traffic to pass.
@@ozarkoutsider Actually, I wouldn't say there is "almost no barge traffic" here, because of two things: 1.) on the north bank by the 40 Highway bridge Capital Sand has an installation, yes, it does slow business, but it does business. 2.) People's brains will latch on to that 'no' and miss that there is indeed a small amount of river traffic here. As well as railroads, towboats are an interest and I'll go photograph the action at the sand place. Both commercial and Army Corps of Engineers towboats appear. And periodically a dredge will work this section of river to rebuild the stock of sand to sell. For instance, on May 4, 2024, towboat Justin B was tied up there with a barge of rock and one of apparently sand. In the weeks between the 4th and now we've had some high water here & I've not been down by the river much since life has occupied me elsewhere.
Scott, thanks for commenting! What I meant is that there's very little commercial barge traffic compared to, say, the Mississippi or Ohio or even Arkansas Rivers. While it's fun to watch what traffic does appear, in the context of my comment ACE traffic doesn't really count because it's there to maintain the channel that few other tows are using; it's like if 2/3 of traffic on I-70 was MODOT vehicles maintaining the highway for a few semis a week. So in the context of the bridge being locked open, it's something of a circular situation since a lot of the traffic it's being locked open for is ACE traffic maintaining the channel for a very small amount of truly independent towboat traffic, especially relative to other rivers.
Pittsburgh has the Smithfield Street Bridge over the Monongahela River. It's 140 years old, and in steady use with car, truck, and busses going over it. It is still being used because of government regulations over bridge height over the river. The Monongahela River has heavy river barge traffic. So bridges over the Monongahela River has to be a certain height. The Smithfield Street Bridge does not meet the government height requirements, but the bridge has "grandfather rights" because it was built before the height regulations were made. Pittsburgh does not want to build a new bridge because the new bridge would be higher than the city street that are connected to the bridge. So Pittsburgh keeps rebuilding the bridge. Most of the steel is original. As a matter of fact the Steel on the bridge has "Carnegie Steel" stamped on it. The design of the Bridge Is unique, because has a double eliptic design. It has an arch with an inverted arch under it. Google it and see.
Not sure what you mean? Are you referring to the attempt to develop the Rock Island Trail as its own rail trail or to the way that it's often presented as an adjunct to the Katy Trail even though technically it's a separate state park unit?
Union Pacific still on the Katy trail they can put a rail back in place at any given time they're just a loud Madera parks to borrow it otherwise they would have to give all the property back to the original owners
Technically the corridor is rail-banked. UP sold the corridor to the state but retains the legal right to reclaim it for rail use with fair compensation paid. This mechanism has been used widely across the country to preserve railroad corridors from complete abandonment. In practice, as far as I know, almost none of these corridors have been reclaimed by railroads because the reasons they were abandoned in the first place (economic, primarily) haven't changed and aren't likely to change. In the Katy's case, the corridor along the Missouri River was especially uncompetitive for the railroad for a variety of reasons and was a maintenance nightmare. It's extraordinarily unlikely it'll ever be wanted as a rail corridor again. The question of "original owners" is a thorny one. Missouri Life magazine has a long article that tries to summarize this complexity and its relevance to current debates about the Rock Island trail: missourilife.com/katy-trail-landowners-then-and-now/
Very interesting
This Katy RR video tells the true story of how & why the MK&T RR arrived at a point on the Missouri River at Boonville, MO. The Katy Trail now is the Highway to our History and a Trail Way to our Future. Thank You Ozark Outsider for this informative video.
Thanks! Are you the Wayne Lammers from Boonville who has extensive collections and knowledge of local history? I've been trying to find a way to get in touch with you and haven't been successful. You can find our contact info in this channel's information or on our website at ozarkoutsider.com. I hope you'll check out our other Katy content as well, including the two-part series on the Rocheport tunnel. It'd be great to make direct contact with you.
It’s beautiful there. I would like to explore the north side.
Agreed, we'd love there to be trail access to the north side even if the full span can't be crossed.
I agree that the idea that pedestrian access to the top of the bridge is the best answer. Who do we lobby to get that included in the Missouri state parks budget?
Wow,so much info. Lived IN Sedalia for awhile so the detailed history is interesting. Very few folks understand that link from Sedalia to cowboy culture of cattle drives etc.
Glad you enjoyed it! Sedalia's an underrated place with a lot of interesting history.
Extremely well researched and well done video. Fascinating stuff. Love that bridge and location. Along with the mkt and Katy trail
Thanks so much! We agree it's a special resource for the region.
Missouri really has some fascinating bridges...
Wish we could cover them all...
Some time ago, UP advised that they had a plan to remove the bridge, and rebuild it somewhere in mid-MO.
That was 20 years ago, and it's no longer the case. An agreement was reached and Union Pacific transferred ownership to the City of Boonville in 2013. See these links for examples, a quick search will turn up others.
www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/a-community-movement-saved-boonvilles-katy-bridge-now-they-have-to-restore-it/article_870b0b44-4c05-11e9-a13d-77aa4d9e4020.html
www.up.com/aboutup/community/community_ties/bridge_031813.htm
That was really interesting. Thanks!
Great to hear!
A navigable river is a little more important economically than you're bike trail. Its not even worth debating.
You'll notice that the solution we propose, based on the Little Rock example, allows for both uses.
Great video! I’ve ridden the Katy Trail twice and have wondered about the railroad bridge vs. the highway bridge. You satisfied my curiosity about it. I sure hope Missouri State Parks takes a page from Arkansas and converts the railroad bridge for use. Heck, I’d even support instituting a trail pass fee to fund the conversion.
Us, too! It'd be really meaningful to be able to cross the river there again. Thanks for your kind comment, and we hope you check out our other Katy Trail content.
Was there a reason why they had it up instead of the lift span going down?
Good question. It's locked in the upper position because navigation regulations require it. Unfortunately, there's almost no barge traffic on the Missouri, but as long as it's managed as a navigable waterway, bridges have to meet legal navigation standards for clearance, to allow theoretical traffic to pass.
Thanks for the information
You're welcome!
@@ozarkoutsider Actually, I wouldn't say there is "almost no barge traffic" here, because of two things: 1.) on the north bank by the 40 Highway bridge Capital Sand has an installation, yes, it does slow business, but it does business. 2.) People's brains will latch on to that 'no' and miss that there is indeed a small amount of river traffic here. As well as railroads, towboats are an interest and I'll go photograph the action at the sand place. Both commercial and Army Corps of Engineers towboats appear. And periodically a dredge will work this section of river to rebuild the stock of sand to sell. For instance, on May 4, 2024, towboat Justin B was tied up there with a barge of rock and one of apparently sand. In the weeks between the 4th and now we've had some high water here & I've not been down by the river much since life has occupied me elsewhere.
Scott, thanks for commenting! What I meant is that there's very little commercial barge traffic compared to, say, the Mississippi or Ohio or even Arkansas Rivers. While it's fun to watch what traffic does appear, in the context of my comment ACE traffic doesn't really count because it's there to maintain the channel that few other tows are using; it's like if 2/3 of traffic on I-70 was MODOT vehicles maintaining the highway for a few semis a week. So in the context of the bridge being locked open, it's something of a circular situation since a lot of the traffic it's being locked open for is ACE traffic maintaining the channel for a very small amount of truly independent towboat traffic, especially relative to other rivers.
Pittsburgh has the Smithfield Street Bridge over the Monongahela River.
It's 140 years old, and in steady use with car, truck, and busses going over it.
It is still being used because of government regulations over bridge height over the river.
The Monongahela River has heavy river barge traffic. So bridges over the Monongahela River has to be a certain height.
The Smithfield Street Bridge does not meet the government height requirements, but the bridge has "grandfather rights" because it was built before the height regulations were made.
Pittsburgh does not want to build a new bridge because the new bridge would be higher than the city street that are connected to the bridge.
So Pittsburgh keeps rebuilding the bridge.
Most of the steel is original.
As a matter of fact the Steel on the bridge has "Carnegie Steel" stamped on it.
The design of the Bridge Is unique, because has a double eliptic design. It has an arch with an inverted arch under it.
Google it and see.
Lots of neat bridges out there...
@@ozarkoutsider We have more bridges than Venice
I dont like the Katy Trail for the simple fact they are always trying to claim the Rock Island Trail. Its very annoying.
Not sure what you mean? Are you referring to the attempt to develop the Rock Island Trail as its own rail trail or to the way that it's often presented as an adjunct to the Katy Trail even though technically it's a separate state park unit?
Union Pacific still on the Katy trail they can put a rail back in place at any given time they're just a loud Madera parks to borrow it otherwise they would have to give all the property back to the original owners
Technically the corridor is rail-banked. UP sold the corridor to the state but retains the legal right to reclaim it for rail use with fair compensation paid. This mechanism has been used widely across the country to preserve railroad corridors from complete abandonment. In practice, as far as I know, almost none of these corridors have been reclaimed by railroads because the reasons they were abandoned in the first place (economic, primarily) haven't changed and aren't likely to change. In the Katy's case, the corridor along the Missouri River was especially uncompetitive for the railroad for a variety of reasons and was a maintenance nightmare. It's extraordinarily unlikely it'll ever be wanted as a rail corridor again. The question of "original owners" is a thorny one. Missouri Life magazine has a long article that tries to summarize this complexity and its relevance to current debates about the Rock Island trail: missourilife.com/katy-trail-landowners-then-and-now/