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Trains News Wire EXCLUSIVE: Union Pacific sending rock train to Moffat Line washout
Why do they fill washout areas with rock instead of concrete viaducts?
I’d love to see pictures of how they are going to get the rock from the train cars into the washed out fill? Conveyers? Front End Loaders? It looks like a very steep area, going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. Maybe an upcoming feature article for Trains??
I trust that Trains Magazine will have a full report on the flood damage and repairs to all affected Colorado Railroads in the near issues. It is tragic to see all of the damage done by these historic floods, and the grief it has caused so many.
What about the Tennessee Pass line? Any chance they would reopen it ?
I am surprised by the reported depth of the wash out. Building a bridge takes time. Constructing the foundations take the most time. If pile driving is possible, a bridge 200’ long can be constructed in a couple of weeks. If pile driving is impossible, a 200’ long bridge may take a year. Unless a bridge is absolutely necessary, fill is the preferred option.
If the risk of a repeat, is high enough they could replace the fill with a bridge in the future. Right now, they want to reopen the line ASAP.
Also, is Amtrak providing bus service to any of the missed stops?
It’s interesting to me, here in Colorado, to contrast this well-structured and factual article with the half-baked, ill-informed writing of the local media re same subject. Many of these journalists are good writers who have been doing a great job covering this once in a lifetime event elsewhere in the state - they just don’t know a thing about our railroads! Landon, I think the risk of another washout is minimal; that line has been in place since 1904 or 1905 and this is the first. John, Tennessee Pass is not a viable option as it would take months at best to get it reopened. They have at least one collapsed tunnel up there.
Filling with rock is easier and faster. To make a concrete Viaduct would require design time, permits etc, They can dump rock without permits possibly because they are repairing an existing line. watched the Reading refill a fill that was also 80 feet deep and several car lengths long, by carefully backing cars onto the rails that were hanging out over the washout carefully, dumping rock at each end of the washout and slowly lifting everything back into place in 1972. It take a while but those old timer railroaders know how to do it.the rail