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  • NYS&W Bridge partially collapses in Syracuse

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #1481031  by MACTRAXX
 
JB: Two problems here: First - a double post (minor)
Second and more importantly: The Railway Age link does not work correctly...
The PDF comes up as pages without text or photographs - only black and white dots(?)
At least the age of this Downtown Syracuse overpass was found - 76 years ago (1942) as noted...
This looks like an interesting article - at least some search information is available...MACTRAXX
 #1481070  by johnpbarlow
 
Don't know why the double posting occurred - I'll ask a moderator to delete one as I don't seem to have that option anymore. As for the link, it works fine for me.

Here's a link to the site map where this and many, many other excellent Erie, DL&W, and EL items are posted. Assuming this link works for you, scroll down to the section in the DL&W column entitled "Magazine Articles from Trade Publications" and look for the link "Lackawanna Raises Tracks above Streets in Syracuse NY". Hopefully this works.

http://www.jon-n-bevliles.net/RAILROAD/sitemap.html
 #1481737  by MACTRAXX
 
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