Western Railroad Discussion > Bridge 64.9 between Alfalfa and Satus, WA

I just finished with a Yakima Valley Sub Blog update of an eastbound BNSF grain empty crossing Bridge 64.9 between Alfalfa and Satus, WA 1-23-21 on the BNSF Yakima Valley Sub  (ex-NP)
http://yakimavalleysubblog.qstation.org/?p=472

Thanks for looking!
Brian Ambrose
Renton, WA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/21 18:33 by BrianA.

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IIRC the NP was a very early adopter of precast concrete for small, multi-opening bridges like this.

That is true.  My understanding is they prefabricated these bridge blocks somewhere in Montana but apparently no one knows where.  You would think there would have been trainloads of these things going all over the NP system but I have never seen any photos.  Trucked perhaps?

Brian

Neat pic...Are you guys sure this bridge wasn't constructed when the line was rebuilt in 1995? 

It is my understanding that most of the RCT bridges NP constructed in the early 1900's are still in place with the exception of a number of them between Connell and Hatton, WA that were washed out years ago.  Their replacements are of a different design and the concrete sections appear a lot newer.
Brian

SD9 Wrote:
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> Neat pic...Are you guys sure this bridge wasn't
> constructed when the line was rebuilt in 1995? 

I strongly suspect that those bridge sections were all designed to be within the capabilities of the NP's rail mounted cranes and were all delivered by rail, likely in small sets of, or single cars.
Back in the decades they were built (est. 1910-30) there was not the highway network, paved roads, and construction eqiupment that we see now.
Even today you can see flatcars with precast bridge elements like box girders, caps, abutments, and wing walls going out to bridge replacement jobs.