Western Railroad Discussion > That bridge got toasted! (P+W derailment, Part 2)

From:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4670179
 
Hookdragkick Wrote:
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> That bridge got toasted!
 
Yes; yes it did.
 
The following unedited photos are from Saturday morning during a cold and breezy sunrise.
 
Photo 1: A recurring theme when reviewing my drone photos is the “I wish I had…” syndrome.  This is because there are so many things to keep track of while flying that some of the subject details can be easily missed.  And so it is with this shot: are those concrete spans really two pieces?  “I wish I had” gotten a closer shot looking west so I could see that detail better.
 
Photo 2: And here it is!  The “I wish I had” shot (taken in the waning minutes of civil twilight), showing that the north halves of those far two spans are missing.  I also hadn’t noticed from the air that some sort of secondary bridge has been erected to support the crawler crane.  The concrete replacement spans are at the lower left.
 
Photo 3: an overview of the scene, looking south.  This was my last shot before the sun came up.  The bridge is over Bowers Slough, which drains into the Willamette River in the background.

HH


 

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Photo 4: This shot looks NW from an altitude of 51 meters as the rising sun illuminates the treetops…my last shot before heading back to the helipad to refuel.
 
Photo 5: Looking south at the missing bridge span.
 
Photo 6: The crane boom casts a long shadow as the rising sun finally hits the work site.

HH

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Photo 7: The gondola of coiled wire rod (the first car trailing the locomotive on Wednesday) has been re-railed and moved west to Granger siding.
 
Other thoughts:

• I’m impressed at how well loaded centerbeams stay relatively intact in many derailments
• We’re a full month past normal start of the monsoon season. It’s been a HUGE blessing to have no rain during this cleanup + repair project. 
• I wonder: will we get to see some monster trains when this line is back in service?

 
HH
 

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I'm actually surprised the bridge itself got that badly damaged. I also wonder where P&W got the replacement sections that quickly.


HH Wrote:
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> ... And so it is with this shot: are those concrete spans really two pieces? 


Yes, indeed, they are two halves that create the tub the ballast lays in.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/18 14:55 by Railbaron.

Great photos!

Glad to see even on a shortline, this bridge being replaced so quickly.  

Knife River in Harrisburg may have had them on hand.

Thanks for posting those, HH.  Very interesting!!

Railbaron Wrote:
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> I'm actually surprised the bridge itself got that
> badly damaged. I also wonder where P&W got the
> replacement sections that quickly.
>
>
> HH Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ... And so it is with this shot: are those
> concrete spans really two pieces? 
>
>
> Yes, indeed, they are two halves that create the
> tub the ballast lays in.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/18 18:16 by roustabout.

That's a real nice picture of that gondola.  Excellent lighting. Glad you posted all this.

Jim

Thanks, Jim.

I love this part of the day, when the light displaces the darkness.  it is rare to have this sort of weather in mid-November; most years these parts have gotten 5 weeks of rain by now.

HH

I'm honored! I worked with an old head switchman who always had a song 'bout something related to work; one that stands out was "wheels on the ground go round and round". The company wasn't a fan of his lyrical prowess.
Also, at the south end of the yard, and industry called CORESLAB would curn out concrete bridge sections like clockwork and load them on old BN and SF flats. One time, old low bulkhead SSW flats bound for Uncle Pete.

Very interesting images.  I suspect that "someone" has those bridge segments in stock, in their yard somewhere.  I was out on the CP rail yesterday and was looking at a similar bridge.  It seems like they have standardized section lengths throughout.  Andy what about that lumber strewn everywhere?  That's where Menards gets their lumber!  LOL

Dave

P&W 1852 ran 9 ballast cars over the bridge this evening. The Toledo Hauler will be the first train over the new bridge. Followed by the Eugene Hauler/ The Westsider (P&W 2311, 2306,3369) was brought over to Suver this evening by the Willamina Local to be ready to go east after 10pm. It's going to get busy tonight.

Thanks for your report, Vic!
I was wondering what order all those trains would run in.  I got to see the ballast train arrive yesterday afternoon, but couldn't stay to watch the action.
From NW Corvallis I heard a train about 9pm and another about 2am this morning...it's great to hear that things are moving again.

HH