The N&S Bridge on a tributary to the MO has washed out at Brunswick MO, Video showed a large mass of floating debris had pressured to old wooden trestle type supports to failure. https://www.missourinet.com/2019/10...dge-to-collapse-in-north-missouris-brunswick/
they should just blast it or get one of them wood shredders that eat whole trees like it was nothing. ive seen them eat forest like nothing....
And whose problem will it be next once the debris gets shifted from one side of that bridge to the other and continues flowing further downstream?
Perhaps NS was able to monitor the stability of the bridge while crews worked to remove the debris, but in retrospect, that appears to have been a very hazardous assignment.
I'm thinking that too. I wonder if the amount of dead timber has been compounded by the number of trees that have been destroyed by beetles in recent years. We sure have a lot of dead trees here in the Ohio valley.
Holy crap!! They must've cut the rails near the ends of the bridge, cause I was waiting for the rail to fly thru the air!!
I was thinking the same as Kurt. Expecting more rail to be pulled away. They must have pulled some bolts at the joints, or something.
What a futile response - one that had absolutely no chance of success with the volume of debris that had accumulated.
Probably for the same reason they stand there and talk or curse enthusiastically, as the train is passing. Or stand right next to their video camera, and bang away with the SLR, which is quite audible.... They aren't thinking.
Raising bridges to higher levels is a massive undertaking as the right of way on both sides of the bridge must also be raised to maintain a grade line that trains can still operate on. It appears that this bridge was built across a rather wide flood plain and to raise it would be a massive undertaking.
Yes. Just considering that such events seem to be occurring and may well yet again. If replaced to original, another debris flow as seen cannot be ruled out. How do they avoid repeat of damage or another washout, with the lost traffic revenues thereafter? Do they rebuild as it was, tempting fate? Or try to somehow mitigate future possibilities? Regrading the approaches, I understand. I am thinking that any piers involved may be harmed and need to be upgraded or replaced, so raising them at this time is possible or may be necessary. I actually have some awareness of the needs and logistics involved. I once was employed by an engineering firm which did contract work for a major transcontinental RR, and also flood control related projects for the Corps of Engineers. The latter was rather interesting....
I can also envision NS's Purchasing Agent on the phone with a bridge supplier, "eh, um, I need a railroad bridge about 400 FT long ready to ship Tuesday and I need your best price."