Passenger Trains > Caltrain Defers San Mateo Bridge Work

Caltrain looks to be entering the stage where its future infrastructure plans will have to be coordinated with the California High Speed Rail Project requirements for an electrified four track mainline. These four very low clearance(for vehicular traffic) bridges were to be replaced with new spans with greater clearance. They will now be indefinitely retained and seismically retrofitted to buy a few more years until the HSR engineers finalize their plans for this stretch. The existing slightly elevated two track mainline north from San Mateo will be one of HSR's biggest engineering challenges with elimination of at least one parallel street and possible condemnation of some residential buildings.

The Tilton Ave. bridge is pictured with its roof scraping 8'6" clearance. The four bridges date from the Harriman era rebuilding of the Peninsula line that was concurrent with construction of the Bayshore Cutoff(1907-08). They are protected by triangular "P" plate signals(rule 9.11.1) at mileposts 17.0 and 17.5 that display stop in the event of a bridge strike(or earthquake).

From Caltrain's website:

Caltrain has postponed indefinitely a project to replace the railroad bridges that cross Tilton, Monte Diablo, Santa Inez and Poplar avenues in San Mateo.

Engineering studies have established that the life of the bridges can be extended by seismically retrofitting them. New foundations will be built under the supports and the bridges will be maintained and kept in a state-of-good repair. It is anticipated that the bridges will be replaced in the future, possibly as part of the California High-Speed Rail project, which will operate on Caltrain’s right of way.

The retrofit project does not require the removal of any trees on the railroad’s right of way between Tilton and Poplar avenues.

It is anticipated that work on the retrofit project will begin in early 2010. All of the work will be done at the street level, in and around the bridge foundations. The construction will require some partial lane closures.

Caltrain is assessing its extensive capital program to better coordinate with high-speed rail and to make certain that today’s investments are not deemed obsolete in the near future.

---

---

When SP built those bridges the only clearance concerns were for horse and buggies.

"Caltrain is assessing its extensive capital program to better coordinate with high-speed rail and to make certain that today’s investments are not deemed obsolete in the near future."

Wow--someone in a government agency actually used some common sense!!!!

Coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Caltrain is assessing its extensive capital
> program to better coordinate with high-speed rail
> and to make certain that today’s investments are
> not deemed obsolete in the near future."
>
> Wow--someone in a government agency actually used
> some common sense!!!!

Don't give Caltrain that much credit, I'm sure it was the outsiders that gave them the idea. They aren't that smart as money burns holes through their pockets.

Axy

I agree, just look at the crappy engines they bought for the work train service, can you say 'lemons'.

Axy_Dent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't give Caltrain that much credit, I'm sure it
> was the outsiders that gave them the idea. They
> aren't that smart as money burns holes through
> their pockets.
>
> Axy

fjc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I agree, just look at the crappy engines they
> bought for the work train service, can you say
> 'lemons'.


So what exactly is wrong with them?

The Tilton Ave. bridge is pictured with its roof scraping 8'6" clearance.

Good grief!! A pick-up with a camper would likely scrape it. How many "hits" has it taken by inattentive truck/bus drivers.

Cumbresfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How many "hits" has it taken by
> inattentive truck/bus drivers.


As I remember it, the worst offenders are the weekend truck drivers, aka U-Haul customers!