Western Railroad Discussion > "New" SMART bridge from BNSF in Texas arrives in Napa.

SMARTS (Sonoma-Marin Area Rapid Transit) bargain basement $4.2 million bridge from Galveston Texas arrived today in Lombard, Napa Co. prior to be switched to the old Napa Pipe Co. plant adjacent on the Napa River for re-assembling. The nearly 100 foot long lift span was declared surplus when the U.S. Coast Guard told Burlington Northern-Santa Fe that the Ship Channel over Galveston Bay has to be widened with a new bridge. The practically new span, which would have cost hundredths of millions of dollars new was removed and dissembled in Galveston and shipped here in 14 Gondola Cars. The bridge Will now be reassembled on the ground of Napa Pipe and then lifted by crane onto a barge and towed to Petaluma to replace the existing and inadequate 1910 swing span over the Petaluma River. The U.S. Coast Guard told SMART that the existing channel had to be widened 85 feet for safety. This photo shows the the first two cars carrying the gears and lifting mechanism for the bridge. In the foreground is also shows another load of concrete ties headed for Santa Rosa. The second photo shows the string of 14 cars and the final photo is a close up of the bridge parts. Photos by Mike Pechner

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Reuse beats recycling.
...Lorenzo

That is a nostalgic bridge that I have always enjoyed for the last 40 + years. Its an oldie, glad to see it being used. Since I was a kid we'd always get excited to see the bridge in the down position, because it meant trains. Weathered many a storm, seen lots of trains.

love seeing all this traffic on the new NWP

drwwork Wrote:
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> love seeing all this traffic on the new NWP

This portion is on the Calif. Northern. CFNR also serves Napa where the bridge will be reassembled. The concrete ties will get interchanged to NWP.

mapboy

Saw these cars being switched in Roseville the other night. Definitely stood out amongst the cars in the yard.