Passenger Trains > Bush River Bridge

The Bush River bridge is stuck open at the current time

Trains stopped on this section of the northeast corridor

Posted from iPhone

How often is this bridge opened?

Train 80

They are backing us up to the Martin airport where they are putting diesels on our train

People are on this train not wearing face masks

Not a good scene

Posted from iPhone

seaboardc30-7 Wrote:
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> How often is this bridge opened?
If memory serves me right, this bridge only opens a couple of times per day for the boat traffic in the area.  The boaters have a schedule as to when Amtrak will open that bridge as it takes a track crew to go onto that bridge and unbolt the rail for the draw span to operate.  This is why Amtrak has been screaming for money to replace this and several other bridges along the northeast corridor including the major bridge over the Susquehanna River.  These bridges are all old and out dated and they cost a lot of money to maintain, which is why the Northeast Corridor is an expensive rail line to operate.  But the hard headed folks in Washington, D.C. for the most part do not understand this situation and the fact that there are so many trains that transverse over this line including some Norfolk Southern Freight Trains.  The Harford County Government continues to allow more and more homes to be built along the Bush River upstream from that bridge and these home owners desire to have all kinds of boats, many are sail boats that cannot go under this bridge, thus the draw has to be opened.  I have never heard or read anything where Harford County would be willing to help pay for a new bridge and they really should since they are allowing the developers to continue to build more expensive waterfront homes or those with access to the Bush River.  Somebody has to pay the Piper, but in reality, no one wants to pay.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Not to worry, Amtrak has a plan to replace this bridge (for $400 million) and, if funded, it would be in service by 2033.

http://nec-commission.com/project/bush-river-bridge-replacement/

The replacement would be a fixed bridge.

The charts say 12' vertical clearance on the current bridge when closed. By the way, there are overhead power cables downriver from the bridge. 20' of clearance is not compatible with the air draft of sailing vessels.

USCG regulations governing bridge operations:

§ 117.547Bush River.
The draw of the Amtrak Bridge, mile 6.8 at Perryman, shall operate as follows:
(a) Shall open twice a day from May 1 through October 31, on Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays that fall on a Friday or a Monday, when a proper request has been received.
(b) Request for an opening is given to the Amtrak Assistant Division Engineer at 410-642-1588 and or email at BridgeOpeningRequest@Amtrak.com by an authorized representative of the Bush River Yacht Club no later than noon on the Friday just preceding the day of opening or, if that Friday is a Federal holiday, no later than noon on the preceding Thursday.
(c) Amtrak determines the times for openings and shall schedule the times:
(1) During daylight hours, six to ten hours apart; and
(2) One opening before noon and one after noon.
(3) In emergent situations after notification is given to the numbers indicated in paragraph (b) of this section it can take up to six hours for the bridge to open.
(d) Amtrak shall notify a representative of the Bush River Yacht Club of the times of all openings for the weekend (or extended weekend) in question no later than 6 p.m., on the Friday just preceding the weekend or, if that Friday is a Federal holiday, no later than 6 p.m., on the preceding Thursday.
(e) Each opening shall be of sufficient duration to pass waiting vessels.
(f) At all other times the draw need not open for the passage of vessels.
[USCG-2013-0972, 79 FR 30728, May 29, 2014]

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/20 09:22 by Dcmcrider.

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The southernmost of two moveable bridges on Amtrak's Phila.-Wash. Mainline, located about six miles south of Aberdeen, MD
Andy

4thDistrict Wrote:
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> It would help if people identified where the track
> is thaey are reporting on. Most of us have no idea
> where this bridge is without doing additional
> searches, which would not be needed if the poster
> would identify where these things are. 

Any more info on this bridge? Did they get it to close?