MACTRAXX wrote:LVRR and Everyone:
I have been following this news story after finding this topic and after seeing the collapse video on
two news programs in my area: News 12 Long Island and WCBS-2 News...
The original topic title made me think that there was actually a partial bridge collapse likely under
the weight of a passing train - that was before I saw the video and read the CNY news story...
The better term for the bridge components that failed are guardwalls - the term "panels" makes me
think of something less sturdy then the sections that fell off this overpass which look quite thick.
Any idea how old this former DL&W viaduct is - is it marked with any date(s) in any manner?
Has there been more findings on what caused the guardwalls on this bridge to fail? Is it sheer old
age or is there a possibility of outside corrosives causing the deterioration that led to this problem?
Any idea how the track is laid on top of this bridge? Being interested in old rail infrastructure there
are two ways that track are placed on these structures: 1-onto a level of flat ballast or 2-track laid
directly on the concrete floor with in both cases more ballast added as necessary.
From the photographs it may be easy - depending on just how much ballast is on the bridge - to
place "Jerseywalls" or curbs on either side as needed or perhaps leveling off and removing extra
ballast with a spreader as example to help keep loose rock from falling off this bridge...Good idea
to remove or replace as many of these guardwalls as possible depending on their conditions...
Thankfully damage - other then the mentioned traffic light - was minimal and best yet no one got
hurt - but with the busy Downtown Syracuse location some are apprehensive - and rightfully so...
Hopefully nothing further happens and the renewed guardwalls are all that is needed here...
MACTRAXX
RSD and Everyone:
This was the video that the media outlets Downstate showed...What amazed me is just how fast
and without seemingly any warning that these guardwalls failed and fell...
Something that I have always found interesting is construction designs and details from railroad
companies of the past that show patterns and design similarities during construction eras - this
being a 1940s era DL&W designed structure. Does anyone have any close-up pictures of trains on
this structure that show the guardwalls (when they were intact) in more detail? MACTRAXX
EXPRESS TRAIN TO NEW YORK PENN STATION-NO JAMAICA ON THIS TRAIN-PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING TRAIN DOORS