Bridges - favorite, least, newest and falling down?

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WinNix

Train Attendant
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
59
Everyone loves bridges. Even if you don't like crossing them, they are nice to look at. In everyone's personal catalog of train pics, you'll find them. Some are majestic, some are marvels, others plain and some make us wonder how they are still standing. Sometimes I find it difficult to keep track of all the dozens of bridges & overpasses the ARRA is covering for repair, replacement, or overhaul. Are we losing any landmarks you will miss? Or have some of these bridges lived well past their prime? Perhaps they are not being covered by the ARRA, but being replaced anyways without much fanfare? IE: remote bridges being rebuilt by private companies?

I'll use one of my favorite examples of a great bridge living well past it's prime.... The Spuyten Duyvil Bridge (http://en.wikipedia....n_Duyvil_Bridge). Although it was great in it's day and still used regularly, it is now clearly an impediment at 111 years old. The pictures you'll find may even do it more justice than it deserves. If NY State lives up to it's 20-year-old promise to replace the bridge, Empire Corridor service will be immediately improved for obvious reasons. I know public-vs-private funding sources for rail has been discussed a lot before. However, I wonder specifically for bridges who is generally better at it the gov't, or private companies? If the technology the same? Do the feds have an edge in terms of quality, or are they handicapped by red tape? 100 years from now, do you think any of the railroad bridges being built & reconstructed today will be standing? Which ones?

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I enjoy crossing the Pacos River Bridge. You can see the supports of the old one on the north side of the bridge!

Among other bridges I enjoy are 2 coming into NOL - Huey Long Bridge and the Lake Ponchatrain (sp) crossing.
 
Hell Gate Bridge is my favorite! It is in the same league as Sydney Harbor Bridge and Bayonne Bridge, but it is a pure rail bridge.

It was in pretty sad shape until about 15 years back. Since then it has been steadily fixed. The approach trstles still need a lot of work. Occasionally chunks of concrete apparently land on the people below and it is a bit of a political issue even now.
 
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The steel trestle just north of Ventura, CA has beams that can be seen to have rusted completely through in many spots...
 
Although it was great in it's day and still used regularly, it is now clearly an impediment at 111 years old. The pictures you'll find may even do it more justice than it deserves.
Other than its age, what's wrong with this bridge? Has it been poorly maintained? Are there slow orders on it? I thought that steel bridges can last indefinitely if they are maintained -- the Forth Bridge seems to be doing well at 121 years old.

My favorite railroad bridge is a wooden covered bridge next to my grandparent's former farm in East Shoreham, Vermont. Sadly, it's on a branch line that closed in 1951.
 
My favorite has to be the BNSF bridge over Lake Pend Oreille at Sandpoint, ID. The Empire Builder also crosses this bridge, though at night. Only those passengers who have the misfortune of riding on a very late EB either direction get to see the view during daylight hours. It's really a beautiful area.
 
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My Favorite has to be the Huey Long Bridge across the Mississippi River in NOL! Also of note on the Sunset Ltd. route is the Pecos High Bridge in West Texas!! Here in Austin the Trestle across Lady Bird Lake downtown by the Amtrak Station was built in 1888 and is still going strong! It's still the Only Rail Bridge across the Lake (nee Colrado River)in a City of over 1,000,000!!! :excl: :excl: :excl:
 
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I love the "Steel Bridge" in portland, oregon.

I believe it's the only bridge of it's kind in the world with two independently operating lift decks on one bridge.

Rail on the bottom, cars and TriMet Rail on top.
 
Other than its age, what's wrong with this bridge? Has it been poorly maintained? Are there slow orders on it? I thought that steel bridges can last indefinitely if they are maintained -- the Forth Bridge seems to be doing well at 121 years old.
Good question! The bridge was originally designed for 2 tracks. I'd say it was moderately maintained but it has also been damaged multiple times. During it's period of inactivity many years ago, a public tour boat struck and damaged the bridge (from the Hudson side). When the Empire Service/Corridor line was reinstated, the bridge had to be repaired to function. However, only the non-hudson side track (less damage) was repaired. A few years back the speed restriction on the bridge was 30 mph - but I do not know if that is current.

I line the bridge on the NEC at havre de grace where it crosses the Susquehanna river. It's best when riding an acela or viewliner with big windows.
Steve, awesome example.... That bridge is one of my favorites, but I don't think it will be there too much longer. If you go to this site: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/dot5711.html and scroll down to Maryland, I think that's the same bridge, no? If so, then it is on the short list for getting replaced. I was disappointed to see that on the list, so I am doing some digging for details... more later
 
The long bridge over the Mississippi at Fort Madison. Sometimes the SWC is delayed waiting for river traffic to clear up to put the bridge back down.
 
Maybe not the most beautiful of bridges to look at, but one of the most stunning and unusual to ride across is the the Lake Ponchartrain crossing used by the Crescent Limited.
 
The Tacoma Narrows bridges, though not railroad bridges, the BNSF (Former NP) tracks do pass under the east end of the spans. The views from the Starlight and Cascades are amazing as you pass under. Today you can see two spans. Bridge two, built in 1960 and bridge three built in 2007. You cant see bridge one, because it is 300 feet underwater at the moment. It is the famous Galloping Gerdie, that collapsed in a windstorm in November 1940, only five months after opening.

 
Hell Gate Bridge is my favorite! It is in the same league as Sydney Harbor Bridge and Bayonne Bridge, but it is a pure rail bridge.

It was in pretty sad shape until about 15 years back. Since then it has been steadily fixed. The approach trstles still need a lot of work. Occasionally chunks of concrete apparently land on the people below and it is a bit of a political issue even now.
I have to agree on this one. The Hell Gate Bridge is without doubt the biggest single piece of infrastructure that Amtrak owns. It is a massive, overbuilt piece of engineering that makes every other bridge pale by comparison. It is too bad that it was allowed to fall into the state of disrepair mentioned in the past. Too bad it doesn't get more use. It sure has the capacity....
 
The Tacoma Narrows bridges, though not railroad bridges, the BNSF (Former NP) tracks do pass under the east end of the spans. The views from the Starlight and Cascades are amazing as you pass under. Today you can see two spans. Bridge two, built in 1960 and bridge three built in 2007. You cant see bridge one, because it is 300 feet underwater at the moment. It is the famous Galloping Gerdie, that collapsed in a windstorm in November 1940, only five months after opening.

Here's a picture of the current Tacoma Narrows bridges, taken from the Cascades about a week ago. The spots above the spans aren't UFOs, just dirty train windows. :)

390569_2345318067237_1078582262_2628174_1339273203_n.jpg
 
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My favorite is Dock Bridge in Newark NJ. This is the multi-level lift bridge located just north (RR east) of Newark Penn Station.

Dock Bridge is a massive example of structural and mechanical engineering. It is 100% functional without the slightest pretense of beauty. I like to call it brute-force structural engineering: keep adding steel until it works, then add some more. It carries four Amtrak tracks and two PATH tracks, with the tracks on two levels. Adding to the wonderfulness of this bridge, the entire massive main span(s) can be raised for river traffic (even though that does not happen anymore).

The Dock Bridge was built by the PRR and is a metaphor to the might of that railroad. Huge, powerful, ugly: it is the PRR at it's best. It still lives as a major link for Amtrak (even though it is owned by the PANYNJ). It is a bridge only a structural engineer could love. That's why it's my favorite.

640px-PATH_Passaic_br_jeh.JPG
 
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Least favorate bridge(s) - one's that cause the trains to run behind schedule due to the need to detour. And I haven't even gone on my LD trip yet. Hope I don't run into any of these on my trip this weekend. :help:
 
My favorite is Dock Bridge in Newark NJ. This is the multi-level lift bridge located just north (RR east) of Newark Penn Station.

Dock Bridge is a massive example of structural and mechanical engineering. It is 100% functional without the slightest pretense of beauty. I like to call it brute-force structural engineering: keep adding steel until it works, then add some more. It carries four Amtrak tracks and two PATH tracks, with the tracks on two levels. Adding to the wonderfulness of this bridge, the entire massive main span(s) can be raised for river traffic (even though that does not happen anymore).

The Dock Bridge was built by the PRR and is a metaphor to the might of that railroad. Huge, powerful, ugly: it is the PRR at it's best. It still lives as a major link for Amtrak (even though it is owned by the PANYNJ). It is a bridge only a structural engineer could love. That's why it's my favorite.

640px-PATH_Passaic_br_jeh.JPG
The Dock Bridge is indeed another PRR legacy structure. PRR in the early to mid-twentieth century was known as a civil engineer's railroad. They held top positions in its heirarchy, above the usual financiers that are more common. The Northeast Corridor has many examples of PRR design, with multiple track mainlines and lots of grade separated 'flyovers', as well as the AC electrical infrastructure. The heavily built stretch from Newark to Rahway is my favorite. The 'scenery' is starkly different from the natural beauty of say the nice arch bridges along the California coast line, but if you like bigtime railroading, it just doesn't get any better...
 
I guess my least favorite railroad bridge is the Kinzua Bridge, located in McKean County, PA. When built, it was the tallest railroad bridge in the world. It was 2/5 of a mile long and soared 300 feet above the valley below. Owned by the Erie RR, regular freight traffic across the bridge ended in 1959. In 1963, the bridge was purchased by the state for use as a state park.

Beginning in 1987 a tourist train service used the bridge as part of its route. This continued until an inspection in 2002 showed serious structural issues. The bridge was closed to all traffic – train and pedestrian. Work began to repair the bridge.

In July, 2003 an F1 tornado came through the area. Workers who had just left the bridge heard cracking and crashing noises coming from the area. When the storm cleared, they went back to the bridge to find that it was not there. About 1400 feet of the structure had collapsed and was lying on the valley floor. It is still there today.

The state park is still open, and the remaining section of the bridge is open to allow pedestrians to walk out 600 feet to the point of the collapse. It is walk not for the faint of heart.

Kinzua Bridge - before:

Phot_kinzuabridge2.jpg


Kinzua Bridge - after:

dcnr_004066.jpg


Both photos from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
 
One of my favorites is the Rockville Bridge over the Susquehanna River north of Harrisburg. It is the ultimate representation of pre-industrial construction (despite its 1902 construction date) as it is the longest stone arch masonry bridge in the world.

400px-Rockville_Bridge_PA.jpg
 
I line the bridge on the NEC at havre de grace where it crosses the Susquehanna river. It's best when riding an acela or viewliner with big windows.
Steve, awesome example.... That bridge is one of my favorites, but I don't think it will be there too much longer. If you go to this site: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/dot5711.html and scroll down to Maryland, I think that's the same bridge, no? If so, then it is on the short list for getting replaced. I was disappointed to see that on the list, so I am doing some digging for details... more later
The view from the train crossing the Susquehanna is always impressive. That $22 million in funding, though, is just for the preliminary engineering and environmental studies for replacing the bridge across the Susquehanna. Likely to take 10 years or longer before a new bridge is in place. The replacement bridge may also be at a higher elevation which would add to the view if it can be made high enough to make it a fixed bridge with no swing span to maintain. Whether the piers from the older bridge that are still there to the south would be cleared for a replacement bridge, no idea.
 
The Dock Bridge was built by the PRR and is a metaphor to the might of that railroad. Huge, powerful, ugly: it is the PRR at it's best. It still lives as a major link for Amtrak (even though it is owned by the PANYNJ). It is a bridge only a structural engineer could love. That's why it's my favorite.
I didn't know that the PA owned that bridge Bill, very interesting!

Any idea on how they came to own it?
 
Another bridge that is etched into my memory is one that Amtrak didn't use, but it was/is? a 'landmark' in Chicago. It is I believe a bascule type bridge, located near the Amtrak Chicago yard, and always seemed to be in the 'up' position, standing like a sentinel over that part of town. I haven't been there for a while, so I don't even know if it's still there. Anyone know which one I mean, or any info about it?
 
The Dock Bridge was built by the PRR and is a metaphor to the might of that railroad. Huge, powerful, ugly: it is the PRR at it's best. It still lives as a major link for Amtrak (even though it is owned by the PANYNJ). It is a bridge only a structural engineer could love. That's why it's my favorite.
I didn't know that the PA owned that bridge Bill, very interesting!

Any idea on how they came to own it?
I don't know. My guess would be that the PA took ownership in the dark days of the Penn Central in order to get the bridge out from under the bankruptcy, but that is a pure guess.

Funny thing is that the bridge name is "Amtrak Dock Bridge." The Port Authority ownership shows on Coast Guard documents for river traffic operations.
 
Funny thing is that the bridge name is "Amtrak Dock Bridge." The Port Authority ownership shows on Coast Guard documents for river traffic operations.
I think there is some kind of arrangement between PANYNJ and Amtrak, whereby it is Amtrak that operates it even though PANYNJ owns it, and hence it is referred to as the Amtrak Dock Bridge, just like the NEC between Mass border and Boston is referred to as the Amtrak NEC even though Massachusetts owns it.

I wonder if the section of Empire Corridor between Poughkeepsie and Hoffmans will come to be known as Amtrak Empire Corrdor now that Amtrak will be the exclusive operator of it, with CSX essentially becoming a tenant, even though CSX actually owns it and leases it to some combination of NYDoT and Amtrak. Don't quite know the details of the actual arrangement, but I understand Amtrak will be responsible for dispatching it but funded by NY State I guess.
 
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