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Heart of Texas severed by trestle fire
Since I visited that line a couple of years ago, I did a web search and found the video which was shot by the chief of the Lometa VFD. I then realized that I had seen it previously but did not know it was here in Texas. It has been so dry down here that the Heart of Texas might be able to build a shoo fly over much of the land spanned by the trestle if they can establish a temporary bridge across the river itself. Hope they can overcome this setback.
I think you are correct; the one in that video looked more like a planned burn. There was no lateral bracing between the bents, so it was just like a row of dominoes waiting for the first bent to fail. Trying to run trains across it would soon have had the same result.
John
Interesting how these comments work. There was a comment and after I found and reviewed a video of the fire, I added a comment about a possible shoo-fly. Both comments are not appearing as I write this one.
A look at satellite images show the trestle is on the San Saba County side of the river which is the boundary line. The article indicates that the bridge over the river is okay, and it is clear from the satellite image that a long fill could be tied to the bridge as a shoo-fly. Then a new trestle and bridge support structure could be built over the flood plain just to the north. Tracks could be relaid on the Lampassas County side, and then the bridge could be reset over the river using a couple of cranes.
I pondered the same thing William. In the video available on the internet, the burning trestle looked rather weak, with no, or few, cross members between the bents.
And it burned very fast…not possible to save. But, the internet video may have been another trestle since its location was not identified.
That video is not to be missed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DrAxyHmc_k
This isn’t shadenfreude; I’m sorry for the San Saba’s loss. But that is a collapse, the likes of which you are not likely to see anywhere else again. I wish there were some way for San Saba to receive the benefits of the YouTube videos. That might help replace the trestle if the video goes viral, which it just may do.
No pun intended with website cited below. Bridge is shown engulfed from end to end, from bottom to top. Something smells here and I’m not talking about the burning creosote.
The ensuing collapse is quite the sight.
Build it again, with concrete and steel.
Ever tried to put out creosote timbers? One of the more difficult thing to do.
Ever tried to put out creosote timbers? One of the more difficult thing to do.
It was very hard to watch that bridge fire video, knowing that the HOT railroad had saved the line a few months earlier. Our best wishes go out to the railroad and it’s customers.
David, you need to wait a few seconds for your comments to be entered.
Touche,Bob Zoellner!
Is that the trestle shown in the CBS video? Looked more like a ‘controlled burn’ for the local fire departments.
It collapsed in an impressive domino fashion. The video of it has gone viral
I’m surprised Jeffrey Guse doesn’t tell us all that it’s God’s way of telling us railroads are stupid
I’m surprised Jeffrey Guse doesn’t tell us all that it’s God’s way of telling us railroads are stupid
Someone on the staff needs to do a better job of editing these articles. Towards the end of the first paragraph you will find the sentence below which implies that the fire is serving railroad customers. While we can certainly determine what is meant, you have to wonder how the sentence translates into other languages.
"The fire, which destroyed about 700 feet of trestle, serves the railroad’s customers from its interchange with BNSF Railway in Lometa. "
Also, why did the article not link to the CBS Youtube video if indeed it depicts the same incident?
Someone on the staff needs to do a better job of editing these articles. Towards the end of the first paragraph you will find the sentence below which implies that the fire is serving railroad customers. While we can certainly determine what is meant, you have to wonder how the sentence translates into other languages.
"The fire, which destroyed about 700 feet of trestle, serves the railroad’s customers from its interchange with BNSF Railway in Lometa. "
Also, why did the article not link to the CBS Youtube video if indeed it depicts the same incident?
Someone on the staff needs to do a better job of editing these articles. Towards the end of the first paragraph you will find the sentence below which implies that the fire is serving railroad customers. While we can certainly determine what is meant, you have to wonder how the sentence translates into other languages.
"The fire, which destroyed about 700 feet of trestle, serves the railroad’s customers from its interchange with BNSF Railway in Lometa. "
Also, why did the article not link to the CBS Youtube video if indeed it depicts the same incident?
Check for filthy moslem sabotage.