Just heard from a friend who works for Union Pacific that several cars were being reported on the ground on or near the Rock River truss bridge just west of Nelson, IL.
PZ, this happened yesterday afternoon. An eastbound coal train (CWEX cars–watch our rates go up!) dumped about ten cars just after coming off the Rock River bridge. The bridge looks intact from the pictures I saw–UP was soooo lucky!
Some of the coal went into the river. Both tracks were blocked initially, but one had been cleared by last night. We had a reasonably steady procession of freights in both directions today.
Soooooo. That is why the webcam was boring.
Thanks, Carl. It came as a message left on my cellphone and I’m not sure when it was put there.
Soooo glad the bridge is intact… otherwise I’d think UP was making an assault on truss bridges in that part of the state.
BTW, from what I remember there’s no “legal-railfan-approved (i.e., no trespassing)” way to get back there save by boat on the river.
PZ
That’s a typical CNW truss bridge–maybe we could get Mookie to look up the design–very old-fashioned and weak looking, but obviously good enough to handle the loadings on the main line. I’m a little surprised that UP hasn’t begun the assault. I don’t think this one would be able to be replaced with the same construction as the bridges at Galt or Sacramento.
I think you may be right about access, PZ–the pictures I saw (Trainorders.com) could have been taken from the river.