Murphy SidingOut of curiosity, is it just CSX bridges in the area that look old and crusty? What do other railroads' bridges in the area look like?
Here in Ft Wayne we have grade separated elevations running across both the North and South sides of Downtown. Norfolk Southern (former NKP) on the North side, and Norfolk Southern (former Wabash) and C,F,&E/CSX (former PRR) on the south side.
And for the most part they are kept up. Of course a few years ago the City designated these structures as "gateways" to the downtown, and repainted all of them, so It's probably not a good comparison to what we've looked at thus far. I'm not sure if the city paid for those gateway paintjobs 100% out of their own pockets, or if there was a split.
I do know that they tend to be image conscious around here, if you do not mow you lawn frequently enough to suit them, they hire a contractor to mow your lawn and just tack the cost onto your property taxes. So, the railroads may be participating in the cost willingly, or otherwise.
It could be just that CSX has an image problem? Sort of like when a family has a "drunken uncle", all the other family members like to make sure they include a drive-by of his house on their Sunday outings, just to admire the peeling paint on his eaves, or torn screens on his windows, to give them something to talk about when they are together?
Other than that, I've got pictures of bridges of the former Wabash RR in Logansport and Lafayette, and former NKP in Peru and Warren that appear fairly well maintained, I can post them if you really want me to, but they just support my argument.
Was watching a documentary last night that claimed that .005"/year is the average rate that unprotected steel loses to corrosion in a typical outdoor environment. I'm not attesting to the veracity of the claim, just found it interesting.
Murphy Siding BaltACD There are established Claim channels and processes for consignees to handle the situation of receiving less product in reality than was certified as having been shipped. Thanks for the explanation. I take it the claim process is a claim against the railroad?
BaltACD There are established Claim channels and processes for consignees to handle the situation of receiving less product in reality than was certified as having been shipped.
There are established Claim channels and processes for consignees to handle the situation of receiving less product in reality than was certified as having been shipped.
Thanks for the explanation. I take it the claim process is a claim against the railroad?
Unless the consignee has some basis in fact to make a claim against the shipper for falsifying the quantity actually shipped. In that case the merits of that kind of claim will end up in court.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Here is a picture of a neglected NS bridge in a neglected part of town. Former NYC/Fort Wayne & Jackson Still in light use, mostly as car storage.
Then, less than two miles away we have this former PRR/Grand Rapids & Indiana that sits abandoned, tracks long gone, and not even a bikepath over it
And then there is this bridge, Former PRR mainline,currently belongs to CSX, but the line is leased to C,F,&E and mostly used by NS as a connection between Cincinnati and Chicago.
Technically a CSX bridge, but seldom, if ever used by them
That last one might be one of my favorites, due to the pedestrian walkway on the right side, built like a fortress.
Gee, that might be the best maintained CSX bridge in the state, and they (CSX) don't even use it.
Seems like we had a similar discussion a few years ago - about CSX and bridge maintenance.
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...
That GR&I bridege does serve a purpose--it's a handy place to hang the highway signs.
Johnny
tree68Seems like we had a similar discussion a few years ago
He said "post pictures if you got 'em", he didn't specify what the pictures had to be of.
I knew I could get away with it because he would welcome discussion about anything besides "you know what"
Convicted One tree68 Seems like we had a similar discussion a few years ago He said "post pictures if you got 'em", he didn't specify what the pictures had to be of. I knew I could get away with it because he would welcome discussion about anything besides "you know what"
tree68 Seems like we had a similar discussion a few years ago
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Here is an interesting comparison....Muncie In
First, a Norfolk Southern bridge, on the East side of town
Then, not even half a mile away from it, a CSX bridge (former NYC) over the White river (the plate bridge behind the truss bridge). This line is the same former NYC main that crossed I-69 in the "Daleville" photo I posted earlier.
If you pan to the right in the second link, you will find the NS bridge in the first link.
Here is another interesting comparison .....still in Muncie
Here we see a little rust coming through on a Norfolk Southern bridge
Yet pan around 180 degrees and you find this former C&O bridge
Convicted OneHere is another interesting comparison .....still in Muncie Here we see a little rust coming through on a Norfolk Southern bridge Yet pan around 180 degrees and you find this former C&O bridge
Note the word 'former' as I believe the Chessie System abandoned the C&O line from Cincinnati to Chicago back in the late 1970's.
BaltACDNote the word 'former'
I'm trying to be completely transparent. If you feel that I have been willfully misleading, please let me know.
Here is sort of an interesting bridge, former Wabash over the St Mary's river in Fort Wayne.
Along about 2004-2005 someone came through and marked up the sides with orange fluorescent paint...arrows with various multi digit numbers, likely detail numbers from some written report., and then nothing happened for a couple years.
Eventually the marked up areas were spot painted to match the rest of the bridge. It looked pretty good for a while until the taggers came back
Here is a detail showing a remnant of the orange marking
Convicted One Here is sort of an interesting bridge, former Wabash over the St Mary's river in Fort Wayne. Along about 2004-2005 someone came through and marked up the sides with orange fluorescent paint...arrows with various multi digit numbers, likely detail numbers from some written report., and then nothing happened for a couple years. Eventually the marked up areas were spot painted to match the rest of the bridge. It looked pretty good for a while until the taggers came back Here is a detail showing a remnant of the orange marking
Murphy SidingWhy the protective ceiling over the walkway ?
The walkway is part of the Fort Wayne River Greenway, and after the wooden planks that were used when first built rotted out, they were replaced with vinyl tubes that were shaped and textured to look like wood. Think "vinyl siding" but molded in a rectangular tube shape, and you got the idea.
Kids trespassing on the bridge discovered that the vinyl was brittle during winter months, and would throw ballast rocks down on the walkway, with force, to break up the plank.
And I don't mean a shot here and a shot there, I'm talking about dozens and dozens of shots that were breaking all the way through the surface. To where you were at risk of falling through it you were not paying attention.
So they put up the frame work and the wire mesh to deterr vandalism. Then the sheet metal directly under the bridge was added later because the bridge would drip for days after a heavy rain, and the surface was extremely slick when wet.
Here is a nice looking CSX bridge in Garrett IN. Of course it's only been around since 2000, when it was built as a much anticipated grade separation project.
CSX paid 20% of the construction cost, with the state picking up most of the rest.
Convicted OneHere is a nice looking CSX bridge in Garrett IN. Of course it's only been around since 2000, when it was built as a much anticipated grade separation project. CSX paid 20% of the construction cost, with the state picking up most of the rest.
Remember when Randolph Street was US 27 and I-69 wasn't even a pipe dream. B&O Depot was just the the East of Randolph Street on the South side of the tracks. To the West of Randolph Street, also on the South side was the Roundhouse for servicing power. I believe a Crossing Watchman operated the crossing gates that protected Randolph Street.
Here we go! I found a couple ag buildings with rusty steel roofs Must be one of those "drunken uncle" types I was mentioning earlier?
Even more interesting, look at everything going on out by this little bridge west of Garrett
Looks like a crew change point based upon the steps, the biggest switch heater I've ever seen on the platform to the right, and what appears to be a perennial spring rising from under the bridge?
And, this odd little pathway, leading to what appears to be a bridge over a bridge over a creek
BaltACDRemember when Randolph Street was US 27 and I-69 wasn't even a pipe dream. B&O Depot was just the the East of Randolph Street on the South side of the tracks. To the West of Randolph Street, also on the South side was the Roundhouse for servicing power. I believe a Crossing Watchman operated the crossing gates that protected Randolph Street.
Your memory sure is good Balt, I had forgotten all about that. Highway 27 continued north over the tracks until reaching what was also state route 8, and then veered east to Auburn before turning North once again and heading to Waterloo.
Convicted One Even more interesting, look at everything going on out by this little bridge west of Garrett Looks like a crew change point based upon the steps, the biggest switch heater I've ever seen on the platform to the right, and what appears to be a perennial spring rising from under the bridge?
Convicted One BaltACD Remember when Randolph Street was US 27 and I-69 wasn't even a pipe dream. B&O Depot was just the the East of Randolph Street on the South side of the tracks. To the West of Randolph Street, also on the South side was the Roundhouse for servicing power. I believe a Crossing Watchman operated the crossing gates that protected Randolph Street. Your memory sure is good Balt, I had forgotten all about that. Highway 27 continued north over the tracks until reaching what was also state route 8, and then veered east to Auburn before turning North once again and heading to Waterloo.
BaltACD Remember when Randolph Street was US 27 and I-69 wasn't even a pipe dream. B&O Depot was just the the East of Randolph Street on the South side of the tracks. To the West of Randolph Street, also on the South side was the Roundhouse for servicing power. I believe a Crossing Watchman operated the crossing gates that protected Randolph Street.
And if memory serves from our vacation one year we lived there - US 27 continued all the way North through Michigan using the Mackinac Bridge to reach Sault St. Marie and thence into Canada.
In a prior assignment for my father we lived in Auburn for a little over a year - 1st grade for me was in Aubrun.
BaltACDIn a prior assignment for my father we lived in Auburn for a little over a year - 1st grade for me was in Aubrun.
Were they still making Cords there at the time?
Convicted One BaltACD In a prior assignment for my father we lived in Auburn for a little over a year - 1st grade for me was in Aubrun. Were they still making Cords there at the time?
BaltACD In a prior assignment for my father we lived in Auburn for a little over a year - 1st grade for me was in Aubrun.
No - 1951-52
Took a trip 25 miles north to Dell Rapids, S.D. to look at former Milwaukee Road bridges on the Dakota and Iowa Railroad. They look pretty good, by the way. Some parts of their tracks have reflective stickers on the inside surfaces of the rails. They are red, reflective stickers about 3"x8" situated near rail joints. Any idea what that's about?
A knuckle is a terrible thing to break
Real or faked photo?
Probably real. That's happened at least a couple times on CN over the years.
CN used to unload the rail by anchoring it to a second locomotive behind the rail train, and then having the lead locomotive pull the train ahead slowly. That practice ended after a string got away and smashed into the rear locomotive's cab, killing the Engineer.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
MiningmanReal or faked photo?
Very real - happened near Thomasville, GA - PSR copuled a cut of loaded grain cars on the rear of a rail train (rail train cars are among the oldest the railroads own - they are not used in Interchange Service and thus can be older than FRA limits for cars used in interchange service).
BaltACD A knuckle is a terrible thing to break
It's amazing how flexible that stuff is.
Especially considering how I've seen rail segments sunk into the ground on property lines along alleys to protect garages from careless garbage truck drivers, that seemed to have NO GIVE in them what so ever.
Convicted OneIt's amazing how flexible that stuff is.
Every now and then a rail train will make it's way around one of the wyes (transfers) at Deshler. At least one person will usually comment in amazement that the train can make the curve.
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