Might railroads have built coaling towers exclusively with concrete without rebar? Reason for the question is that the concrete used often had fly ash in the mix. It is my understanding that ash creates a very hard and resistant to deterioration material. Example: Roman structures. Is the ash in the aggregate the reason that coaling towers remain standing? What prompted the question was the 10/13/13 article on TRAINS website by David Kahler of Center for Railroad Photography and Art entitled, "Stalking Coaling Towers in Maine." It was told to me that years ago the Penn Central decided to demolish a coaling tower on its Conemaugh line in Western, PA. The contractor's plan was to bring it done with explosive charges and the tower would fracture from the fall. The tower fell without fracture causing time consuming extra work and closure of the line for much longer than expected. Were coaling towers built without rebar?
That also happenned a few times in the UK. One even had to be pulled over by several diesel locos after explosives had failed to demolish it. Alll that happenned was that it just sat a little lower but didn't fall over. I don't know the answer to the rebar question though.
Jamie
I don't know the answer, but I would guess that if the coaling tower fell without fracturing that it had lots of rebar holding the concrete together.
Concrete is strong in compression, but not in tension. Most coaling tower designs that I have seen have portions where tensile strength, and hence rebar, is required. And in the steam era the railroads often built with strength and endurance being primary goals.
John
I'm not certain but I think the NYC coaling tower at Collinwood Yard (Cleveland) had lots of rebar in it.
A story was told when I worked there (early '70s) that the city had wanted the Central to take the tower down when it was no longer used for fueling locomotives. According to the story, the railroad's response was, "Sure. We'll take it down, but we can't guarantee the safety of that residential neighborhood just to the north." The tower was still there the last time I was in Cleveland (being used as a silo for transferring cement to trucks). Is it still there?
ChuckAllen, TX
cefinkjr I'm not certain but I think the NYC coaling tower at Collinwood Yard (Cleveland) had lots of rebar in it...The tower was still there the last time I was in Cleveland (being used as a silo for transferring cement to trucks). Is it still there?
I'm not certain but I think the NYC coaling tower at Collinwood Yard (Cleveland) had lots of rebar in it...The tower was still there the last time I was in Cleveland (being used as a silo for transferring cement to trucks). Is it still there?
As of a couple of days ago, the 4-bay 500-ton NYC coaling tower in Collinwood yard was in the process of being demolished. You can see a few pics of the initial demolition at this link. And, to answer your question, the NYC did use rebar. You can just see it in the upper right portion of the third pic down.
A sad day for NYC fans and all those that enjoy historic and iconic RR-related structures.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I don't know what 'road owns the Collingwood yard, but I suppose the day came when their legal/ risk management people told them that in this litigious day and age it was best if the thing came down. It used to be in the old days if a railroad didn't need a structure anymore the SOP was to just lock the door and let nature take its course. Probably not a good idea nowadays.
Firelock76 don't know what 'road owns the Collingwood yard,
The former NYC/PC/Conrail yard is now operated by CSX. The location of the coaling facility was not of such where any risk was involved. It was a matter of cost to remove something that was not hindering anything concerning work in the yard, but from what I now understand CSX has some plans for Collinwood and decided to get it out of the way.
Plans for the yard? That's probably it.
There was an old C&O coaling tower still standing when I moved to Richmond, Va. in 1987. It was in an old C&O, now CSX yard to the south and east of the city. It was there at least into the '90s and one day it was gone, without fanfare, and like it was never there. About the only change in the yard I could see was CSX laid more tracks. Sic transit gloria mundi...
Thanks for the link, tstage. I notice it's being taken down in stages rather than the cheaper demolition methods using explosives. That supports the story I heard many years ago that the amount of explosives required would make it a very dangerous undertaking. The Central built things to last in those days.
And I hope there never will be an attempt to demolish them Lois, they're not just old coaling towers now, they're monuments.
I hope they're still there 1,000 years from now for people to wonder at.
sno-catSmall shaped charges can easily cut thru rebar!
How much rebar is in the structure? How many courses? Horizontal & vertical? How do you locate it in concrete? If you don't locate it all on the first implosion, how do you handle a partially destroyed unstable structure?
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