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Connecticut River bridge moving again
Another example of how big government run Amtrak is incompetent. There are older movable bridges in the Midwest that never get stuck. Probably because the individual state governments find it important to properly maintain the bridges. It wouldn’t surprise me if the bridge in question was a low quality patch repair resulting in failure again. The bridge is a make work project for the union.
Renew? Replace it, with a modern high clearance bridge would be a better long tern solution.
Unless one has first-hand competence in engineering and the frequency of trains operating across this bridge, and the frequency of maritime traffic operating beneath it versus moveable bridges in the mid-West, it might be prudent not to opine about the competency of the people managing such projects. Bridges are very expensive to replace and Amtrak has had a an on-going program of bridge replacement on the Shore Line for perhaps the past 10 years - witness the replacement of the equally large bridge at New London, smaller bridge at Niantic, and (I suspect) other locations.
Jeffrey, While I am not specifically famiiar withis the maintenance practices for this structure, please keep in mind that the midwest bridges are likely not subject to constant salt air spray and the associated corrosive issues with being located along the sea shore.
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Amen, Michael!
Midwest bridges don’t live in a salt water environment and the Conn. River bridge probably has opened and closed many more times than the midwest bridges. State maintained bridges would be highway bridges which do not last as long as railroad bridges.
Just look at the appearance of it in the photo. Rusty and looking like something from the Dark Ages. Actually, anything like that could be kept in service almost indefinitely, if the maintenance were done. But if nobody bothered to keep the bridge painted, was anyone making any attempt to keep it operational? More likely they just kept using it and hoped, really hoped, it wouldn’t break down. Well, it did. Can it be put back in service? Sure, if money and caring and effort were put into the project. But don’t wait for that to happen.
Jeffery: none of those bridges have seen anything close to the traffic that these Northeast Corridor bridges have. Any lack of maintenance on these ancient bridges can lead to failure. And while those midwestern bridges can have down time, these cannot because of the frequency of service.