Instant railroad bridges

[Murphy Siding]

 

      The current issue of Trains Magazine has another one of those “We rebuilt this collapsed railroad bridge in only 14 days” type articles. Do the railroads, or some subcontractor, warehouse stock pieces of railroad bridges for just such events?

 

[Murphy Siding]

Or, written in internet/click-bait jargon: Railroad bridge drops into the water.  What happens next will amaze you!!!

[cx500]

When a line is abandoned, it is not uncommon for a railroad to recover girder bridges that are still in good condition.  Or if a second track is lifted, the bridge span is left in place for later possible use elsewhere.  They are available for use as emergency replacements or for use in new construction later, sometimes years later.  In a new location the girders may require shortening, with new bearings and bearing stiffeners at one end. 

There are other reasons why a span becomes surplus in its original location, and you might be surprised at how many branch line bridges started life elsewhere on a heavy duty main line.

[BaltACD]

In addition to having a inventory of all bridges on lines that have been removed from operation, when it comes to restoring the railroads 'revenue stream' on the line with the bad ordered bridge, virtually no expense will be spared in returning the line to normal operation - all available contractors working on a 24/7 basis for the duration until service is restored, if it is necessary for bridge parts to be manufactured to effect the repairs there again virtually no expense with be spared to get the parts built in the minimum amount of time.

When Katrina virtually destroyed CSX's NO&M Subdivision form Mobile to New Orleans at the end of August 2005 (which includes 11 drawbridges and any number of smaller bridges and culverts) the next day the damage was documented with an arial survey and then as many contractors as possible from the Gulf Coast were hired to restore line to operation - Revenue train traffic began operating on the line on March 1, 2006.  More than one local newspaper commented on how CSX was back in operation in 5 months and the state and local highway departments had not let contracts for the repairs to US 90 and I-10 which run roughly parallell to CSX,

[Murphy Siding]

     It sounds like the railroads stock a lot of new and used bridge components waiting for the phone to ring.  It sounds like an episode of Iron Chef. “ Gentlemen (and ladies perhaps)- you have a railroad bridge at the bottom of a river.  You will rebuild it with whatever parts you have somewhere in inventory and whatever you can beg, borrow or steal.  You have no time to do it and the timer starts now!”.


      Sign me up!  If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably be a structural engineer next time.

[BaltACD]

Murphy Siding

     It sounds like the railroads stock a lot of new and used bridge components waiting for the phone to ring.  It sounds like an episode of Iron Chef. “ Gentlemen (and ladies perhaps)- you have a railroad bridge at the bottom of a river.  You will rebuild it with whatever parts you have somewhere in inventory and whatever you can beg, borrow or steal.  You have no time to do it and the timer starts now!”.


      Sign me up!  If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably be a structural engineer next time.

When it comes to emergency line restoration, railroad engineers are as pragmatic as they come.  What has been damaged, what, at a minimum, has to be done to restore operations, what are the availabilities of what is necessary on 'our' property, what are the availabilities of what is necessary on another railroad's property, what if anything has to be made and how much pressure can be applied to those needed to make it.  What will it take to get contractors to drop their current projects to start work on our project later this afternoon....the list goes on and on - the only object is to restore the line to operation.

[NDG]

 

 

Something here for everyone? ( Well, maybe not everyone? )

Bridge on Pecten Sub once a turntable. Scroll down.

http://yourrailwaypictures.com/TrainBridges/indexAlberta.html

Thank You.

[AgentKid]

There are some interesting/important photos of the CNR around the Calgary Stampede Grounds.

This is the area now known as the Macleod Trail-25 Ave. SE intersection and the Erlton LRT Station area. Trying to upgrade this area has turned into a major political furball. When the LRT was built in '79, they never expected Calgary's population to grow like it did. Decisions were made then which are now making it virtually impossible to make any improvments in the area. This might come as close to an unsolvable problem as I have ever seen.

Destroying everything in the area and returning it to the condition it was in before railways ever arrived in Calgary and starting over again might be the only solution, and I'm sure they can find room in the budget for that!

Bruce

 

[mudchicken]

NDG

 

 

Something here for everyone? ( Well, maybe not everyone? )

Bridge on Pecten Sub once a turntable. Scroll down.

http://yourrailwaypictures.com/TrainBridges/indexAlberta.html

Thank You.

 

Instant Bridge, Just Add Water....

 

Not that uncommon. Also most shorter structures are of a common design. Nothing unusual in adding a few more spans to the order list plus additional pile caps and bridge seats to the end of an order. Usually you have a fixed number of bridge gangs and pile drivers, the schedule just continues to change.

(ever seen what the scrappers hold onto? Especially pre-cast concrete and steel spans?) The real trick is the spans out there over , say, 40 ft that you can cabbage on short notice.

[tree68]

mudchicken

Instant Bridge, Just Add Water....

I dunno.  I think they got the order reversed on the Brazos.  

[rvos1979]

Instant bridge, just add water.........

For some reason, the "dehydrated boulder" gag from a Road Runner cartoon crossed my mind...........

[tree68]

rvos1979

For some reason, the "dehydrated boulder" gag from a Road Runner cartoon crossed my mind...........

I've got a can of dehydrated water I keep in the pantry "just in case..."

[samfp1943]

[quote user="NDG"]

 

 

Something here for everyone? ( Well, maybe not everyone? )

Bridge on Pecten Sub once a turntable. Scroll down.

http://yourrailwaypictures.com/TrainBridges/indexAlberta.html

Thank You.

 

[/quote]  Thanks, NDG for posting this linked site !  

                                                     Truly fascinating!

[jeffhergert]

I heard that at one time, WW2 era I think, the CNW had enough steel and components stored to rebuild the Kate Shelley High Bridge should it be severely damaged or destroyed.

The B&SV's steel high bridge, former FtDDM&S, was said to have been built in 12 days.  Some of the timber and lumber from the old structure was used to build two grain elevators.  One still stands, unused, south of Ames, IA on US69.  

Jeff

[Murphy Siding]

     In a pinch, do the railroads ever buy/borrow bridge parts from each other?

[mudchicken]

I've seen it done, but it's rare. (liability and design ratings issues.) Both times I saw it done, it was a temporary band-aid given back after a short period.

[ericsp]

UP has had four concrete bridge sections sitting around on flatcars in a yard for over a year. At first I thought it was for a bridge replacement. Now I wonder if they are just spares.

[tree68]

Our local county highway department acquired a military bridge (intended for rapid deployment and removal) to use for such emergencies.  I know it's been used several times.  Certainly not heavy enough for rail use, though.

[mudchicken]

You can rent the railroad version of Bailey Bridges, but that many pin connections over a long time would concern many a railroad structural engineer.

http://acrow.com/products-services/bridges/details/

[Victrola1]

Gen. Herman Haupt was a master at creating temporary railroad bridges during the Civil War. 

 

"While I know of no image that is definitively of the “beanpole and cornstalks” bridge described by Lincoln, this image certainly captures the essence (if not the fabric) of what Lincoln likely saw in May 1862–a rather haphazardly built structure, constructed not by engineers but by gangs of detached soldiers. Its designer, Herman Haupt, complained that he could not convince men to go out onto the bridge to complete the bracing. No wonder….

 

https://npsfrsp.wordpress.com/2010/09/11/the-railroad-bridges-over-potomac-creek-bean-poles-and-trusses/

 

Herman Haupt also knew how to create the need for somebody else to come up with a temporary bridge. 

 

Washington, D. C, November 1, 1862.

A simple and expeditious mode of destroying bridges, and rendering locomotive engines useless to an enemy, is often a desideratum. Cavalry may penetrate far into an enemy’s country, may reach bridges forming viaducts on important lines of communication, which, it may be desirable to break effectually; or, in retreat, the destruction of a bridge may be essential to the safety of an army, and yet time may not be sufficient to gather combustibles, or they may not be accessible, or the fire may be extinguished, or the damage may be so slight as to be easily repaired.

What is required is the means of certainly and effectually throwing down a bridge in a period of time not exceeding five minutes, and with apparatus so simple and portable that it can be carried in the pocket or a saddle-bag...........

http://www.civilwarfamily.us/2014/08/herman-haupt-locomotives-and-bridges.html

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

mudchicken

You can rent the railroad version of Bailey Bridges, but that many pin connections over a long time would concern many a railroad structural engineer.

http://acrow.com/products-services/bridges/details/

Indiana & Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, Alkire Rd. replacement of masonry arch underpass.

Short Story (1 pg.): http://acrow.com/acrow-case-study/long-span-rail-bridge-allows-for-innovative-structure-replacement/

Longer story, includes simplified diagram (2 pgs.): http://acrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Alkire-Road-Case-History.pdf

Thanks, MC !

[bartman-tn]

Many years ago when working for Union Pacific, we lost a bridge during flooding. We went and looked at the situation and then sat in the local restuarant and start calling around (back before cell phones were common) to see what bridge spans and parts were available.  As they were identified, we started a list and even began designing the bridge. We were able to find enough concrete ballast deck spans (of all sizes) to build a replacement bridge. We also called bridge gangs, contractors, and pretty much anyone we needed. Within a day, folks were on site and parts started showing up. We put two pile drivers to work and had a bridge in over the next week. As someone said, when your railroad mainline is shut down, almost anything is done to get it open again.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Back on March 15, 2007 an arson fire destroyed 1,100 ft. (some reports say 1,400 ft.) of double-track Union Pacific wood trestle leading to a truss bridge over the American River in Sacramento, Calif. (truss bridge was saved).  By March 27th a single-track replacement trestle had been placed into service, and the other track was scheduled for May 1st.  My recollection that UP used precast concrete ballast deck bridge section from all over the system, including some that were to be used in replacing another bridge.  Here are some links: 

http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/p/90821/1068297.aspx?page=1 - "Fire damaging Sacramento tressle"

A quote from S. Hadid (some of us remember him), post of Sunday, April 01, 2007, 6:25 PM:

"I take nothing away from UP, but this is a heroic accomplishment only if you compare it to the feeble organizational and logistical capabilities of most corporations and government entities.  This is nothing unusual for railroading.  NS's accomplishments after Katrina were 100X the magnitude of this.  Some other organizations I've had the pleasure of working with that have a similar attitude and understanding are electric utilities and combat units of the U.S., British, and Australian military, organizations that understand geography, time, and weather. 

Most organizations can't live outside of their nice climate-controlled box with their needs like power, water, policing, office supplies all arriving like clockwork magic.  Railroading is a game played outdoors in the middle of nowhere, 7/24.  You get it right or you're run out.

S. Hadid"

Jeez, I miss him - and love this quote, esp. the last paragraph.

http://www.joc.com/economy-watch/union-pacific-fast-tracks-replacement-n-calif-bridge_20070325.html 

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Sacramento-trestle-should-be-repaired-by-April-1-2577980.php#photo-2096110 

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/mow/news/The-bridge-between-something-old-something-new--13179 

 

[tomikawaTT]

Looking across a rather wide ocean, and back to when I was an active railfan, it seemed that every junction had an MW supply area - rails, ties, a shed which must have contained all the smaller hardware and tools...  Almost all had one or several spare deck girder spans, always painted oxide red with their pedigree stencilled on the right end of the vertical girder.

When traffic is measured in trains per hour, delay in making repairs is not an option.

Chuck

[Boyd]

How about an inflatable bridge?

[BaltACD]

tomikawaTT

Looking across a rather wide ocean, and back to when I was an active railfan, it seemed that every junction had an MW supply area - rails, ties, a shed which must have contained all the smaller hardware and tools...  Almost all had one or several spare deck girder spans, always painted oxide red with their pedigree stencilled on the right end of the vertical girder.

When traffic is measured in trains per hour, delay in making repairs is not an option.

Chuck

In today's railroading, if there is going to be an Official Inspection train making a trip over a territory - the SMART Roadmaster will hide his 'spares' in the high weeds or somewhere else that is out of sight of the inspection train.  When top level managment see track supplies and such out on the territory all they can see is wasted unnecessary invested $$$$$$$ - if they see it the next order will be to send it to the reclamation plant so it can be $crapped or used elsewhere.

[Deggesty]

Yes, there are one or two stories in A Treasury of Railroad Folklore about the practices of section foremen in keeping materials and tools secret. They understood how the system worked.