http://www.kcrg.com/subject/news/fire-destroys-massey-station-railroad-bridge-20140728
Brian (IA) http://blhanel.rrpicturearchives.net.
You'd think everyone's Bridge & Building forces would have learned, after the trestle fire on a southern NS line about 4 years ago, that was also caused by welders. That one killed the conductor and seriously injured the engineer (as best as I can recall) when the train came to a stop on the burning trestle.
There's a darn good reason for "hot work" permits and procedures in most industrial facilities. Don't these guys have to follow the same protocols ?
From the photos on the linked website, there was plenty of water right next to and under the trestle to soak everything down both before and after the work (photo 3 of 4 - after the damage was done, of course).
Not like the B&B folks have nothing to do out that way this time of year, either . . . .
- Paul North.
Regrettably, not the first bridge burnt down by MofW forces - and it won't be the last.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Thought that all welding instructors always said after class. " Police you work area for any sparks and especially look around any wood "
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/83/Chatsworth%20Train%20Wreck,%201887.pdf?sequence=2
History contains worse. Thankfully, no deaths, nor injuries resulted.
The problem afflicts welders an rail grinders. Even when they police & dowse their areas in water - there can be that 'rogue' ember, that is unseen and draws no attention to itself during an after work inspection; that eventually works its way into a conflagration.
While creosote is a wonderful preservative; being derived from coal or oil, it is rather flammable and burns hot for a long while when ignited.
From the same site:
Firefighters Battle Bridge Fire from Mississippi River
James
The question, among others, is was the welding gang of the B&B or Track flavor. I suspect it was the track folks If boutet or arc welding were involved, then water would be a BAD idea. (The NS was a composite bridge - the plastic binder set it all off instead of the creosote, much more volatile stuff)
In my experience, the track welders always struggle to have enough water or fire extinguisher capacity. I got questioned severely for brainstorming with my guys and buying each welder a pair of old 40# soda chemical water extinguishers for each truck that they could load and recharge with their on-board compressors (tried fire retardant with comical results, went back to water - purple floating bubbles))...we had severe issues with high country dry grass and brush. Looked like an open deck timber pile trestle that burned in IA. (that's one way to get rid of one of those cheap pain-in-the-patootie anachronisms 310 K replacement bridge ?)
Shields/ spark deflectors can only do so much.
Cursing the land records system in northern Delaware and trying to escape Philly in the big tin bird. My work is getting more difficult because of some clepto county clerks not willing to let some foreigner from flyover country look at some really old mapping and related records they have squirrelled away. Did manage to salvage the trip with a visit to Achives 2 whilst here.
If only the Iowa railroads had the supply of masonry available to the east coast original railroad builders. Saw some really impressive PRR stone boxes and short 1-span bridges with really tall stone head & wingwalls this week.
Mooks is busy assembling a bigger net over there in Nebrasky this afternoon. Here kitty!
Sir C - can't imagine that you couldn't charm those clepto county clerks like you did the kitty. Unless they wear green eyeshades and funny fur under their nose.
You are probably safe for now. While out train watching, I threw a net up toward one of those tankers that practice touch-and-go @ our old air base. I caught an SD70MAC!
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
The local news reported tonight that the line is already back open- no details on how they accomplished that, though.
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