Wooden platforms on elevated lines.

Going by personal recollection only, back in the 1970s the wooden platforms were all replaced by concrete.

Two questions:

1) Why?

2) How much reworking of the steel structure was necessary to support the weight?

Thanks.

Passenger wrote:Going by personal recollection only, back in the 1970s the wooden platforms were all replaced by concrete.

Two questions:

1) Why?

2) How much reworking of the steel structure was necessary to support the weight?

Thanks.

1) Concrete lasts longer than wood. Wood platforms can deteriorate rather quickly when exposed to rain and snow. Concrete ones hold up better (but can deteriorate too). Wood platforms are susceptible to catching fire (and some have), concrete ones are not.

2) I don't know but I am sure some reinforcement had to be done in some spots.

There's still plenty of wood flooring at elevated stations, stairs, mezzanines, transfer hallways, and so on. You can look through the gaps in them even.

Most elevated stations still have the mezzanines and staircases made of wood. They appear to be original from when they were built during the Dual Contracts in 1914-18.

1) Concrete lasts longer than wood. Wood platforms can deteriorate rather quickly when exposed to rain and snow. Concrete ones hold up better (but can deteriorate too). Wood platforms are susceptible to catching fire (and some have), concrete ones are not.

Wood platforms are warmer to the feet than concrete platforms in the wintertime.

Don't know about concrete platforms, but they did have a concrete bridge burn down in Bellows Falls, Vermont once. Oil from the roadway soaked into the concrete, passing train underneath threw a spark. The result was expected.