Disclaimer: yes, I googled this. I found some hits, but am still unsatisfied with my knowledge, so I am not being lazy.
Gabe
It would just be a bridge on a shoo-fly , or , a shoo-fly with a bridge .UP can’t just put a temporary fill into that creek until the main is repaired.
A shoe-fly is a temporary track laid around a major de-railment where the track structure is so damaged as to need to be completly replaced, often down to the sub roadbed.
This is where panel track pays for itself.
Same for a shoe fly bridge…the bridge is damaged to the point it needs major repair, so they build a temporary bridge.
There will be a slow order for the bridge, the entire length of the train.
The mudchicken can offer more detail, techniques and structural information.
Ed
So it is not a particular type of bridge, it is a generic term for any temporary bridge put in while the real bridge is being replaced?
Gabe
Yes.
It is basically a temporary fill with pipes buried in it to allow the creek to flow while they rebuild the permanent bridge.
That is one type. They could span 100 feet of water if needed.
How long was this UP trestle and how high was it above the water ?
(The destroyed one)
If my memory serves me right the bridge was 140 feet long. I don’t know what the height was.
Gabe, I’ve always understood a shoo-fly anything to be a temporary structure around a derailment, washout, etc.
Shoo-fly pie, on the other hand, is a Pennsylvania Dutch dessert so sweet your teeth will fall out in your hand. Try taking this recipe http://www.maplesprings.com/shooflyrecipe.html
over to the Diner and ask Cherokee Woman nicely if she would consider adding it to the menu.
Larry
Thanks Larry.
And I guess that after your teeth fall out, then you can go to the dentist and get a shoo-fly bridge.
Gabe, Read somewhere this morning that the UP expects to have the double track replacement bridge up and running by next Wednesday. That is quick! Just imagine the traffic in Rochelle now that the temporary bridge is operating and they try to clear out the back log of trains.
Gabe,Ifish,Ed,
Your understanding of a “shoo-fly” is about like the one I’ve known
over the years,a “temporary structure,around whatever.”
I am not by any means an expert,but that’s what I’ve seen,read,heard
over the years.
And it Will be available in the ‘Diner’.
I have not seen any pictures of the actual derailment/accident,but would
imagine it will take awhile to get things back to ‘normal’.
Actually hope mudchicken can enlighten us a little more,I would like
to learn more than I think I already know.
And not to be confused with a fly-over… 
Which I think might have been the original meaning somebody was going for when they brought up the new UP one… If that’s where the question arose from.
Dave
-DPD Productions - Introducing the NEW TrainTenna LP Directional RR Radio Monitoring Antenna-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/
I think you folks finally got it straightened out. At least I don’t have to describe a line change or station equation now.
OK
Next question. Origin of the term?
Jay
I was wondering about the origin too.
I’ve seen several arial photos of the wreck. It was an older, double track, through truss bridge. When the pile up began, several cars piled up inside the bridge, then they began to pile up against the bridge. Tore out several girders on the truss and knocked the end off the end abutment that supports it. One end of the bridge partially dropped down toward the river. The rails were about 12 feet above the water when the bridge was in good repair. The cars accordianed up, perpendicular to the track. I can’t imagine the bang it made. UP had the shoo-fly running by about 6 pm last night and had about 25 trains over it by around 10 am today. They’re driving pilings today and expect to have the concrete poured for the first bridge by end of day Sun and the 2nd bridge by end of day Weds.
Anyone know of websites of the pictures of this bridge rebuild or pile up?
Matt
Jeaton ;
The term shoo-fly is not explained in the 8/83 Trains or 1/91 CTC Board articles.
Does anyone out there have the 1/02 Mainline Modeler or the5,6/82 Prototype Modeler magazines ? If you really want to know , e-mail the editor at Trains.
OK so they place culverts 1st at the creeks bottom then bring dirt in pour the dirt over the culverts to fill in the gap. Correct? Then after putting up a real bridge they will take the “shoo” fly bridge away. Correct again? [:p][:)][:o)]
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Originally posted by Soo2610