In today's (Weds., 06 Jan. 2016) Wall Street Journal, pgs. A-1 and A-8, is an article about a bridge that has appeared here several times in various threads:
"The Epic Story of a Bridge Too Low Draws Internet Fans - A North Carolina span shaves the tops off tall trucks; 'crash art' for sale", by Ben Cohen.
Also, maybe accessible (unless behind a 'paywall') at:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-joys-of-watching-a-bridge-shave-the-tops-off-trucks-1452045185
Now up to 100 trucks since 2008 when nearby office worker Jurgen Henn started running a video camera 24x7 at the site to record those events.
WARNING NOTE: One comment on the WSJ webpage about this article says the "11foot8.com" website leads to aggressive malware and spam, not the intended site.
No mention of the railroad involved; I believe BaltACD has posted here about it several times. But because of the beam just before the bridge, probably all impacts lately are on the beam, not the bridge, so the railroad isn't usually affected. There's a mention of a proposal to now add a stop light before the bridge, instead of the present flashing yellow lights . . .
- Paul North.
Here is a direct link to more videos ..
http://11foot8.com/ (I did not get a malware warning .. must have been a bad link in the WSJ)
There is one railroad bridge somewhere that they painted a shark mouth on it so trucks would see it better.
Randy Vos
"Ever have one of those days where you couldn't hit the ground with your hat??" - Waylon Jennings
"May the Lord take a liking to you and blow you up, real good" - SCTV
CBTThere is one railroad bridge somewhere that they painted a shark mouth on it so trucks would see it better.
http://www.news9.com/story/28911147/another-semi-crashes-into-low-enid-railroad-bridge
There is one in Battle Creek, MI that is 10'9" but it doesn't catch many trucks. Doesn't seem to be a favored truck route.
Norm
US route 4 in White RiverJct. VT passes under the ex-B&M Conn River Line, now owned by the state of Vermont and operated by the Vermont Rail System's Washington County. It had about 12' of clearance until it got hit - and bent - a couple of years ago. VRS moved the track to the other side of the former two track bridge and eventually raised it a couple of inches at the same time VTrans lowered the road - now it clears 13'6"!
About 15 miles south in Windsor VT the River Line bridge crosses Bridge Street, which leads to the 450' Cornish-Windsor covered bridge. There's a 10'8" clearance sign at the Cornish NH end of THAT bridge, which has a nice big opening to draw truckers in. Of course they clear the inside of the covered bridge (well, most of the time...) but the NECR bridge is a little tougher!
There are many bridges like that around the country, this one just has a camera pointed at it 24/7. Some of them fill with water when it rains because the road has been lowered under them. Others are deceptively labeled because the road has been lowered but not the approaches, so long vehicles come up under them.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
The Chicago area has dozens of tight-clearance underpasses, especially in older parts of the city. They are the residue of grade-crossing elimination through track elevation, much of which occurred between about 1890 and 1920. A fair number of them are prone to flooding after heavy thunderstorms. This shouldn't be too surprising when you consider that the parts of Chicago closer to the lake were once a swamp and have little to no natural drainage.
A low bridge on the CSX St. Lawrence Sub, just north of CP293, claimed the lives of four when a double decker intercity bus, whose driver had missed a turn and was essentially lost, hit it. Since then a detector system has been installed. It's been tripped over a hundred times, but the bridge has only been actually hit once since the system went in.
Prior, the bridge was hit a couple of times a year.
There are no intersections for a mile in one direction, and a half mile in the other, so a warning system has plenty of room with which to work.
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/09/three_years_after_megabus_crash_is_onondaga_lake_parkways_bridge_warning_system.html
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
And right after I posted that, I saw a report that a truck hit the bridge this morning...
http://cnycentral.com/news/local/road-closed-after-tractor-trailer-crashes-into-bridge-debris-sent-flying
I think I would duck even in a car on this one ...
rdamonI think I would duck even in a car on this one ...
Problem there is that the road can't go any lower, and raising the bridge any appreciable distance would require a lot of fill...
rdamonrdamon wrote the following post 1 hours ago: I think I would duck even in a car on this one ...
Odd illusion. The sign says 10' 9", but it looks like half of that.
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Paul_D_North_Jr CBT There is one railroad bridge somewhere that they painted a shark mouth on it so trucks would see it better. Enid, Oklahoma (plus maybe some over in the U.K.). Aside from the one Randy mentioned, here's a link to an article and a photo of it from an April 27, 2015 incident: http://www.news9.com/story/28911147/another-semi-crashes-into-low-enid-railroad-bridge - Paul North.
CBT There is one railroad bridge somewhere that they painted a shark mouth on it so trucks would see it better.
Enid, Oklahoma (plus maybe some over in the U.K.). Aside from the one Randy mentioned, here's a link to an article and a photo of it from an April 27, 2015 incident:
That is quite a system. I'm glad that the setting sun will not be confused by it., nor will the red beam make a mistake.
"An infrared beam won't confuse the setting sun for a truck. And a visible red beam -- used in hunting scopes -- won't mistake snow for a truck."
But, what can you expect when "journalists" are not taught how to use the English language so they can communicate accurately?
Johnny
Seems like there is plenty of room for some tell-tales around these bridges.
rdamon Seems like there is plenty of room for some tell-tales around these bridges.
Deggesty rdamon Seems like there is plenty of room for some tell-tales around these bridges. I expect a tell-tale with good weights at the bottom of the ropes could wake any driver to the danger ahead--if he knew what a tell-tale meant.
I expect a tell-tale with good weights at the bottom of the ropes could wake any driver to the danger ahead--if he knew what a tell-tale meant.
DeggestyI expect a tell-tale with good weights at the bottom of the ropes could wake any driver to the danger ahead--if he knew what a tell-tale meant.
It might make things worse. The driver might be so distracted by the racket of hitting the telltales that he/she wouldn't notice the very reason they were there...
The Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels on I-70 at the continental divide here in CO have electronic tell tales tied to traffic lights in advance of the tunnels. They still have issues every week.
The clinton st and it's cousin on Jefferson ave viaducts here in Defiance are quietly lurking for the next truck to come. Csx is trying to put a deal with the local and state people to aliviate the problem.Stay tuned.
stay safe
Joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
mudchicken The Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels on I-70 at the continental divide here in CO have electronic tell tales tied to traffic lights in advance of the tunnels. They still have issues every week.
The Durham Can Opener made it to the NBC News Tonight this evening. It was sad to watch the truck drivers ignore the warning signs. There was even a shot of a Piedmont as it crossed over the street, as well as one of a freight train.
I'm glad it was a dry van--less to pick up.
I hope the driver's replacement can comprehend signs better than he could.
Before I-15 was rebuilt through Salt Lake County in preparation for the Olympics, the overpass for 2700 South Street over I-15 was a bit low as it crossed the northbound, and there was a sensor south of the 3300 South exit, complete with the necessary warning to anyone whose vehicle was too high that the vehicle MUST exit at 3300 South.
tree68 rdamon I think I would duck even in a car on this one ... Problem there is that the road can't go any lower, and raising the bridge any appreciable distance would require a lot of fill...
rdamon I think I would duck even in a car on this one ...
I'm guessing the NY state road is one of the parkways where trucks are prohibited. The bridge would do a good job of enforcing the rule.
I'd also guess that parkways are cheaper to build due to not having to reinforce the roadway for 16,000 to 20,000 lb/axle and not having to provide more than 10' of clearance.
Deggesty The Durham Can Opener made it to the NBC News Tonight this evening. It was sad to watch the truck drivers ignore the warning signs. There was even a shot of a Piedmont as it crossed over the street, as well as one of a freight train.
In Chambersburg, Pa, Queen street goes under the old Pennsylvania railroad (now Norfolk Southern) tracks that run from Hagerstown, Md to the Enola yard. Before they lowered Queen Street, it was not uncommon for a truck to hit the granite blocks on the overpass. The tracks are three tracks wide the Pennsylvnai railroad built it so strong that a nuclear weapon would not hurt them. Many trucks ignored the warnings and either got stuck or peeled the top of their trailers off. When they got stuck they usually had to let the air out the trailers tires to get it out from the overpass.
erikemI'm guessing the NY state road is one of the parkways where trucks are prohibited. The bridge would do a good job of enforcing the rule.
The road is actually open to anything that can clear the bridge, so that ten-wheeler dump truck (loaded) can use it as much as your family car. Were it not for the cost and lack of other options, I'd guess that either the bridge would be raised, or totally removed.
I think "parkway" is more a name than a road classification there.
Downstate NY does, indeed, have parkways where commercial vehicles are not allowed except for some very limited circumstances.
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