CSX, paint yer bridge!

[fuzzybroken]

From the Trains.com NewsWire 3/20:

QUOTE: CSX says it won't paint Kentucky bridge

HENDERSON, Ky. - CSX could very well be characterized as the big engine that won't - because it has absolutely no intention of painting the rust-coated railroad bridge on the Henderson riverfront, according to a story in The Gleaner of Henderson, Ky., across the Ohio River from Evansville, Ind.

"There are no plans to paint the bridge," said Kim Freely, a CSX spokesman in Chicago. "There is no problem with the bridge beyond its appearance. As a policy, unless a bridge is structurally unsound, CSX does not paint railroad bridges for aesthetic reasons."

City of Henderson officials have been asking for more than a dozen years that CSX paint the bridge. The most recent discussion of the matter came up at Tuesday's meeting of the Henderson City Commission, at which several members suggested that part of the city's $10 million riverfront grant be used as an incentive to encourage CSX to paint it.

City Commissioner Michele Deep alluded to the idea of using the city's property maintenance code to twist the arm of the Jacksonville, Fla.-based railroad. Normal citizens are required to maintain their properties at an acceptable level of appearance, she noted. Shouldn't corporate giants be held to the same standard?

"I haven't really looked at it that way," said city Code Administrator John Stroud. He noted that CSX has been cited in the past for not mowing its property, but judging the attractiveness - or lack thereof - of a railroad bridge is outside his expertise.

The bridge was constructed in 1932 by CSX predecessor Louisville & Nashville Railroad. CSX maintenance personnel have no record of it ever being painted.

[adrianspeeder]

Sure, the big bad railroad should also give out free snow cones too...

[tree68]

There are plenty of reasons not to paint the bridge. If folks think it looks bad now, wait 'til the rust starts peeking thought the paint....

I recall hearing at one time of a type of steel that was intended to rust, as that was the protective barrier against further corrosion.

[Hugh Jampton]

Paint just gets in the bridge inspectors way (unless it's just clear laquer (sp)).
And paint can trap moisture when it chips, thus aiding corrosion.

[CShaveRR]

Also, think of the employees who would need to be out there, either risking their lives or being so hampered by OSHA regulations that they could hardly move. And you don't paint bridges the way they used to--everything has to be contained, and not breathed, spilled, and whatever else. They really don't need the paint to hold the structure up, so why bother?

[louisnash]

Same thing has been going on in Covington KY concerning the C&O bridge over the Main Licking River.

You would think there would be other things of bigger interest for any city to worry about than a railroad bridge being painted.

Brian (KY)

[Anonymous]

as a land owner, try not maintaining the appearance of your home or garage and see what happens.....

[mudchicken]

Do not paint the bridge! (paint the NIMBY architectural wonky gestapo idiots ?)

Tree & Hugh hit the nail squarely on the head. Bridge looked just fine from the deck of the Mississippi Queen when I saw it in 2001.

(and if they think their funky little city code is going to trump federally regulated transportation..[(-D][(-D][(-D])....and that would only set off the historical preservation side of the regulatory zoo....

[banghead][banghead][banghead]

[mudchicken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by louisnash

Same thing has been going on in Covington KY concerning the C&O bridge over the Main Licking River.

You would think there would be other things of bigger interest for any city to worry about than a railroad bridge being painted.

Brian (KY)

Another purple bridge?[:D]

[nanaimo73]

That bridge over the Ohio is rather large.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locThumbs.aspx?id=47667

The Indiana side is impressive.
http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=27983&cat=709&page=1&sortby=d&sorttime=all&way=desc

[vsmith]

"...that part of the city's $10 million riverfront grant be used as an incentive to encourage CSX to paint it..."

Riverfront grant? sounds like they have some sort of development nearby and want a fresh shiny painted bridge to attract developers and tenants.

I suspect this has more to due with it than any real safety concerns, playing the safety card sounds more ominous on the 6 o'clock news.

[Murphy Siding]

Since most riverside *development* these days seems to revolve around casinos, maybe the city should ask CSX if they could install abunch of razzle-dazzle lights on the bridge? I seriously doubt you could paint the bridge for $10,000,000.[xx(]

[Modelcar]

...Tree you are correct....A certain kind of steel that "rusted" and created a sealed coat via that process and that was the way the structure was protected with that coating.
On CSX bridges....We have one in the area, near Chesterfield, In. that carries the RR over I-69 and it needs PAINTED. Bridge is only as old as the the interstate, since about the early 70's. I am one who thinks they should be painted....Aren't Interstate bridges {the steel ones}, painted....They must know how to put paint on them without the rust bleeding the paint off in a few years. It's simply a matter of making structures presentable...Don't we have to keep our priviate property looking decent....Why not these companies when the structures are located near communities, etc...

[michaelstevens]

That "certain kind of steel that "rusted" and created a sealed coat via that process and that was the way the structure was protected" was and is "Corten" steel. Most commonly seen as highway guard (or guide) rail.
However the Henderson bridge is unlikely to have been built of "Corten" back in 1932, because Corten wasn't invented (I don't think) until sometime in the 1960's or 1970's.
Looking at the photos which Nanaimo73 provided, it looks to me like any typical steel bridge of that era, where the particular alloy (of steel) was heavy on the iron content (note that cast iron -- manhole covers etc. -- never needs painting) and a combination of mill scale, rust, bird poop and biological developments have established a benign equilibrium, as far as progressive corrosion of the structural steel.

[tormadel]

A rusty railroad bridge? say it ain't so!

[Modelcar]

That "Corten Steel" time frame mentioned above of the 60's or 70's sounds about right. Structures where I've seen it used have been buildings and some other structural items. After a while the discoloring {rust type}, will blend down over contacting concrete and make a mark and supposedly it goes no farther. For a time period it seemed to be pretty common place to use it in my home area of southwestern Pennsylvania.

[locomutt]

I believe "cor-ten" steel came into being,more in the 70s and 80s;while I was working for Safetran
in the late 70s,we started using "cor-ten" for instrument cases and bungalows for certain railroads.
The "New River Gorge Bridge" in West Virginia is built of "cor-ten",started in 74 and completed in 77.

Brian,mudchicken;the Color Purple was suggested for the old "Big Four Bridge" here when they try to finish it up for the pedestrian walkway.[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

.
On CSX bridges....We have one in the area, near Chesterfield, In. that carries the RR over I-69 and it needs PAINTED. Bridge is only as old as the the interstate, since about the early 70's. I am one who thinks they should be painted....Aren't Interstate bridges {the steel ones}, painted....They must know how to put paint on them without the rust bleeding the paint off in a few years. It's simply a matter of making structures presentable...Don't we have to keep our priviate property looking decent....Why not these companies when the structures are located near communities, etc...

Funny you would bring up that exact bridge. [:D] That is the very bridge I was thinking about when I first read this thread.

it sure is an eyesore.

Someone needs to move in next door to CSX's CEO and let their neighborhood run down to look like trash, maybe then they would recognize the adverse impact on neighboring property value, that such neglect causes

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by adrianspeeder

Sure, the big bad railroad should also give out free snow cones too...

I want one!!!!
hahahaha
What nonsense. Why don't they report some real news.[:)][:)]

[Cheviot Hill]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

QUOTE: Originally posted by louisnash

Same thing has been going on in Covington KY concerning the C&O bridge over the Main Licking River.

You would think there would be other things of bigger interest for any city to worry about than a railroad bridge being painted.

Brian (KY)

Another purple bridge?[:D]

No say it ain't so! God I have to see that one every day. I keep hearing when I pass,"I love you, you love me were a special family..." (Barney song, for people without kids)

[germanium]

What's wrong with painting your bridges a rust colour ? Model railroaders do it all the time !

[Anonymous]

CSX has no legal obligation to comply with local building codes on the issue of paint. Local regulations are preempted by Federal Law in these circumstances.

LC

[vsmith]

Hey I just had a thought, CSX could get a bunch of taggers, some spray paint cans and....

[mudchicken]

Call it ambiance and get over it.

[tree68]

Rustic?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Call it ambiance and get over it.

LOL!![:)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by louisnash

Same thing has been going on in Covington KY concerning the C&O bridge over the Main Licking River.

You would think there would be other things of bigger interest for any city to worry about than a railroad bridge being painted.

Brian (KY)

The Main Licking River huh. How far away is that from French Lick? A little too much licking going over thataway. [X-)]

[Modelcar]

Yea, AntiGates, that bridge is really an eyesore.....and it's not that old. A shoefly was built around that bridge location {before it was built}, and then the original location of tracks were removed and the excavation was done for the cut for the interstate to pass under that grade. Then the bridge was built and the tracks returned to that location now containing the bridge allowing the interstate to pass under it....The shoefly was removed, and the interstate construction was continued. I seriously doubt if that bridge was painted since it was constructed.

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by farmer03

QUOTE: Originally posted by louisnash

Same thing has been going on in Covington KY concerning the C&O bridge over the Main Licking River.

You would think there would be other things of bigger interest for any city to worry about than a railroad bridge being painted.

Brian (KY)

The Main Licking River huh. How far away is that from French Lick? A little too much licking going over thataway. [X-)]

French Lick is in Indiana;about 200 miles from the Licking River.(in Ky.)

[Cheviot Hill]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt

QUOTE: Originally posted by farmer03

QUOTE: Originally posted by louisnash

Same thing has been going on in Covington KY concerning the C&O bridge over the Main Licking River.

You would think there would be other things of bigger interest for any city to worry about than a railroad bridge being painted.

Brian (KY)

The Main Licking River huh. How far away is that from French Lick? A little too much licking going over thataway. [X-)]

French Lick is in Indiana;about 200 miles from the Licking River.(in Ky.)

Big Bone Lick State Park is a lot closer. It's in Northern Kentucky.[:p]
Sorry, I had to put in my [2c].