Western Railroad Discussion > Signal Bridges

After reading for several years how the signal bridges on the Southern Transcon as well as the recent article in Trains are being removed I ask why? Yes lineside signals may be easier to access for maintenance and safety but as in the Trains article the new one is a cantilever style.  Why don't they just retrofit the old bridges to adapt to the new signals and controls?

johnambrose Wrote:
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> After reading for several years how the signal
> bridges on the Southern Transcon as well as the
> recent article in Trains are being removed I ask
> why? Yes lineside signals may be easier to access
> for maintenance and safety but as in the Trains
> article the new one is a cantilever style.  Why
> don't they just retrofit the old bridges to adapt
> to the new signals and controls?

Without specific knowledge of their condition, I will merely suggest that they were old and potentially near the end of their useful lives anyway. Also, many older signal bridges had exposed ladders and catwalks that did not comply with current safety regulations. Finally, the new installations in my area had the new signals already mounted on and wired into the new supports, so it was a relatively simple task to swing the assemblies into position and make a few hookups, which reduced the length of track or signal outages to get the replacements working compared to how long it would take to dismantle old signals and install new ones.

One word:  OSHA.  OSHA requires fully enclosed access ladders and platforms on new or remodeled signal bridges.  Adding PTC and modern signals is considered "rebuilding", so the old bridges must go.

Barry Draper
 

barrydraper Wrote:

> One word:  OSHA.  OSHA requires fully enclosed access ladders and platforms on new or remodeled signal bridges. 

Can you point us to the OSHA standard requiring fully enclosed ladders?  The new cantilevers and signal bridges I've seen going up along the BNSF in southern California don't have them:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,5379937
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,5362341

OSHA standard 1917.118 "Fixed Ladders" says:

"1917.118(e)(1) Fixed ladders more than 20 feet (6.1 m) in height shall be provided with a cage, well, or ladder safety device."

About that third option, it says:

"1917.118(b)(3) Ladder safety device means a support system limiting an employee's drop or fall from the ladder, and which may incorporate friction brakes, lifelines and lanyards, or sliding attachments."

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1917/1917.118

The ladders on the new BNSF cantilevers and signal bridges are fitted with a cable running up the center to which an employee attaches a fall arrester of some sort.  Evidently that satisfies the requirement.

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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> The ladders on the new BNSF cantilevers and signal bridges are fitted with a cable running up
> the center to which an employee attaches a fall arrester of some sort.  Evidently that satisfies
> the requirement.

As does a cage. It is the railroad's choice triggered by the replacement of signals for PTC or other reasons.