NS Katrina photos

[oltmannd]

http://tinyurl.com/aoqy9

Very interesting. Wonder what it cost to do the repairs?

[Tharmeni]

Well, I am SURE the Federal government will help with the cost of repairs.

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tharmeni

Well, I am SURE the Federal government will help with the cost of repairs.

I don't think so. There is no Federal program that I know of that would cover any part of this. And, it isn't part of anything new the prez proposed last night. I think NS eats the whole bill. This goes right against operating expenses, I think, unless they can capitalize some of the expense.

CSX is going to be in a world of hurt on their gulf coast line repair. They have 10 times the problems NS had.

[Anonymous]

Wow. It's realy amaizing how they got their line back up and running so fast.
Allan.

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mark_W._Hemphill

Not amazing at all. That's what railroaders do, in every country in the world.

Amen Mark. Just that now they have to do it with both arms and a leg tied behind their backs since all the downsizing/ dumbsizing took place.

[edblysard]

As long as the paycheck don't bounce and we get our 20 minute meal period...

No to bad a showing for the Dark Horse....

Ed

[oltmannd]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Mark_W._Hemphill

Not amazing at all. That's what railroaders do, in every country in the world.

....and some of us railroaders, who've been around for a while, are still pretty amazed by it!

[adrianspeeder]

"Git er done!"

Adrianspeeder

[Big_Boy_4005]

I'm kind of surprised they can just fi***he rails out of the drink like that. I suppose that once they get it back into place, and all the ties put back and spiked it's just fine.

I assume that if they get a section that has a kink, they just cut it out and re-weld.

Is this an application where concrete ties would be an advantage?

Is there a way to secure the track to the deck and keep it from being washed away in the future, while still allowing for expansion?

Seems like now would be the time to make improvements, though I suppose speed is of the essence.

[trainboyH16-44]

Wow. I can't find the words.
trainboy

[JDV5th]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

Wow. It's realy amaizing how they got their line back up and running so fast.
Allan.

Did anyone see the pictures/small article (Trains, Sept. 05) of how fast UP got their Overland route fixed after a train derailed on a small bridge in Iowa (I think). They had the trains re-routed and another (temporary) bridge done in about a week's time. Amazing.

[Junctionfan]

What about plastics ties? If you feel the material used in making playground equipment, surely a tie of that would work wouldn't it?

[Modelcar]

....It is amazing to see railroad crews repair destruction such as this replacement of the track from the lake bottom back to the bridge deck.....and refurbish it back to standard....in such short time span. I can just imagine a highway bridge knocked out of commision equal to this damage it would be down for 6 months.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Thanks Mark.

As I looked more closely at the photos, after my original post, a number of strange questions popped into my mind.

We all know that wood floats, same with oil, but do creasoted ties float? They get pretty dense and heavy, especially when they are new.

If so, do they provide enough buoyancy to allow the track not to completely sink to the lake bottom?

If the rails remained unbroken, is there a chance that the track didn't actually reach the bottom, but remained suspended?

We never think about railroads needing divers, but somebody had to be in the water hooking onto the rail so the cranes could lift it. In one photo, there at least 6 cranes working. That seems like a lot of men and machines, but it must be less expensive than laying new over that distance. Does anyone know what percentage of the 5+ miles washed out?

The whole thing boggles my mind.

[Modelcar]

....My guess...{and it's just that}, the creasoted ties would not have near enough buoyancy to support the rails in water....and possibly the still connected track did not get pulled down flat on the lake bottom...Perhaps it was standing at least partly on it's tie's ends.....and I'm wondering if they could drop down the hooks and get connected on a rail to bring it up without the personal attention of divers down to the site....Especially after they once got connected to it on the bridges end and just work their way across.....Also there were quite a few missing ties that would probably give up any chance of it floating....

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JDV5th

QUOTE: Originally posted by BNSF railfan.

Wow. It's realy amaizing how they got their line back up and running so fast.
Allan.

Did anyone see the pictures/small article (Trains, Sept. 05) of how fast UP got their Overland route fixed after a train derailed on a small bridge in Iowa (I think). They had the trains re-routed and another (temporary) bridge done in about a week's time. Amazing.

Didn't someone here post a large batch of pictures of that bridge rebuild, your right, they had that back in something like 24 or so hours and if I am not mistaken, had the new bridge in with a week to 10 days.

Thanks for the link to those pictures, very cool.