Beverly Draw- Failure Discussion

[AutisticPsycho]

Watching FOX 25 just now, they showed some footage of one of the trains idling on a curve on the mainline, I could be wrong maybe it's a siding, but still it looked like the mainline. Is that official proccedure, just leaving it sitting on the line till the problem is solved?

Surprisingly, I'm surprised I didn't notice it since I drove by Salem station today and should have a clear view of the bridge.

[gallja02]

One of the crew members seemed to have some detailed explanations. Talking about floating the old one out at high tide, then floating the new one in on bardges, sounded like a weekend closure during the summer to get it done is the plan.

[sery2831]

Crew member, as in a conductor?

[Ron Newman]

This bridge isn't that old! Wasn't it totally replaced after a fire around 1985?

[sery2831]

No kidding...! And I am sure the span is fine, it's the mechanical mechanisms that are in need of replacing.

[sery2831]

Looks like the bridge has failed again. The last train to Rockport got stuck on the Boston side tonight. Not sure if the train ended up making it or not.

From MBTA.com

Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport Line is experiencing technical problems with the Beverly Bridge, a bus shuttle is running Salem-Rockport to accommodate all passengers. 1/22/2008 12:39 AM

[Guilford Guy]

At 10 after 12 it came in on the scanner that the bridge wouldn't close and they needed a couple buses. It changed to one bus like 10 minutes later...

[Guilford Guy]

http://www.mbta.com/rider_tools/transit ... rt#details
Looks like the problem resolved... although I feel for those people on the 6:30 inbound.

[sery2831]

Last nights failure was a malfunction. Tonight they are making some repairs. In doing so an extra train was operated from Boston to Salem with the regular train waiting in Beverly to bring the people to Rockport.

MBTA.com

Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport inbound train #142 and outbound train #145 will be running bus service Beverly to Salem due to repairs on the Beverly Drawbridge. 1/22/2008 10:37 PM

[sery2831]

More repair work is being done this weekend over night.

From MBTA.com

Commuter Rail Newburyport/Rockport inbound train #1128 (10:34pm)at Beverly and train #1125 (11:58pm) at Salem will provide shuttle bus service around the bridge for passengers due to the repairs to the Beverly Bridge. 1/26/2008 10:11 PM

[dmoisan]

As I mention in my blog, the swing mechanism is going to be replaced: http://salemmassblog.blogspot.com/2008/ ... pdate.html There's a link to video taken on the bridge itself. Also new signals are going in.

[sery2831]

Looks like more repairs are on the way!

From the newsgroup ne.transportation...

20. Authorization for the execution of an Extra Work Project
Initiation Agreement No. CR09-01 with the Massachusetts Bay Commuter
Railroad Company (MBCR), for the wedge drive hydraulic system
replacement on the Beverly Draw Bridge on the MBTA’s Newburyport/
Rockport Commuter Rail Line, for an amount not to exceed $1,596,278.

[NH2060]

The existing swing span to be replaced in Spring 2017 (with fair use quote) :

Commuter rail service from Salem to Rockport and Newburyport will be shut down for 21 days as part of a massive, $23 million project to replace the failing railroad bridge between Salem and Beverly.

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/loc ... b5682.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

The existing swing span to be replaced in Spring 2017 (with fair use quote) :

Commuter rail service from Salem to Rockport and Newburyport will be shut down for 21 days as part of a massive, $23 million project to replace the failing railroad bridge between Salem and Beverly.

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/loc ... b5682.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Only the swing's deck and motors/hydraulics. It's still the same approaches, same pilings, same swing mechanism, same everything else. $23M doesn't buy a full-on replacement of a bridge that big. If it were even replacing the entire end-to-end superstructure that thing would cost a healthy bit more than the Merrimack River Bridge rebuild on the Haverhill Line. This price tag just buys a swing deck, machinery components to swap out, and the scheduled masonry patches to the old piers and corrosion abatement on the approaches.

Rehab contract and the component replacement contract were separate awards. This must mean #2's been awarded if they've scheduled the public meetings for the deck-swap shutdown.

[The EGE]

...did not use special maintenance trains to remove snow from the tracks.

In today's news, the Boston Globe can't even be bothered to find out what non-revenue equipment the MBTA has.