Western Railroad Discussion > SMART names design/build extension to Lytton. Work starts in Jan.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/management/news/55335999/sonoma-marin-area-rail-transit-district-smart-selects-ghd-as-development-partner-for-healdsburg-extension-project?o_eid=0625F7358167H1E&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda|0625F7358167H1E&utm_campaign=CPS251126044&utm_medium=email&utm_source=MASS+Daily

Image !:  SMART wants replace the 3 truss span bridge over the Russian River with a open deck concrete/ girder span.

Image 2:  120 year old station houses the model railroad club will bre restoted.

Image 3:  The real prize here in the former 3 track yard is  the turntable.  Completely intact except for the motor and ther electrictricy. I am going to try to get it listed on the Natioinal Resistrsr of Historic places.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/25 15:04 by weather.

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Nine miles, nice extrension length, getting closer to the "North" all the time.

Out 

Thx for the good news

1. How many more miles is this?
2. "SMART wants replace the 3 truss span bridge over the Russian River with a open deck concrete/ girder span. "  Why?  Is the bridge in that bad a shape, or are we spending money for votes, as usual...

 

They have a way to go to get to Healdsburg from Windsor,  the bridge crossing the Russian River is a question. I have seen engineering reports from years ago, but they are from years ago. Either way , big dough !! 

Does that bridge really need to be replaced??  Note the span--long and high above the river.  Going to open concrete deck would require more piers, more delays, and create more impediment to high lows, potentially THREATENING the new bridge!!  SP had it right--long span, let everything flow below, no hang ups.

No need to replace it, unless many engineers agree.  Blast it, paint it, and keep using it.

I hate it when i see what looks like politicians insisting on things being built new bc its a contract for a campaign donor.  Waste the peoples money to pay someone off for a campaign contribution.  All i can say is that it would only be worse in New Jersey

When I was working for the NWP and beflore SMART srtarted construtioin, I helped the Maintanance Chief with a waterproff camera dive below the water line proof camera to see what he piers looks like.  There was a flood on the Russian imn 2006.There weas some scuring on the north pier otherwise the foundations of the bridge are in very good shape. Rip-rap would be needed to stablize the pie but nothing more.

coach Wrote:
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> Does that bridge really need to be replaced??
>  Note the span--long and high above the river.
>  Going to open concrete deck would require more
> piers, more delays, and create more impediment to
> high lows, potentially THREATENING the new
> bridge!!  SP had it right--long span, let
> everything flow below, no hang ups.
>
> No need to replace it, unless many engineers
> agree.  Blast it, paint it, and keep using it.

I'm guessing the restoration of the old bridge to whatever E rating you need it to be would be costly to the point of being equal to a new concrete or steel deck bridge. Just containment for the paint removal would cost multiple millions over that watershed. The ROW could be raised if the bridge height is a concern. 

Not that it matters here, because none of us have done the bridge inspection and signed off on it.

That’s an interesting bridge, when was the last time a train rolled over it?

Posted from iPhone

Hey Mike - are they really going to Lytton?  Will there be a station there or just a layover facility? 

Money on hand will take them to Lytton and its in the dsesign/build..  Dont know abouit a ststion , but this could be the start of a 2nd track.

Last train ove Healdsburg Bridge was  Nov. `1997

Turntable is airpowered, from locomotive.  Motor was removed for repair in mid '80s and not returned.

I read on a news letter that some track removel north Healdsburg had begun. Is that true? Good report and thanks for posting. Bill Webb

All sounds like really good news. I wonder if Healdsburg will serve as SMART's second freight yard considering the amount of property they own at the former yard site and the fact that they are pushing local industries to switch to rail (especially Vulcan which still somewhat has a spur just south of the bridge)

Last revenue train, November 1998. Hospital train shot up to Willits to collect equipment in 2001. A few speeders and hi-railers through the years. 

I always thought that the Healdsburg yard would have been a great spot (even secondary spot) for the NWPRRHS or now the GGRRM. You had the small yard with plenty of space, the station and freight house (I don't know if that model railroad in the freight house is still active, I want to say they folded a few years ago), the turntable, close proximity to downtown.. 

Either way, the Fog Belt brewery right there will be a great place for a pint while watching trains. A little disapointed their caboose is Great Northern and not SP/NWP/etc. 

Sounds like the other poster confirmed what I had heard, which was that several flooding events had erroded the pilings benieth the water line. I would also assume it's a libility for a major passenger operation carrying paying passenger accross multiple times a day to do so on an older bridge.