Here’s a snippet from an interesting article in The Railroad Gazette, 1905 describing how the New Haven dealt with bridge replacement along the main line over Connecticut rivers. At some locations temporary trestles (see below) were built prior to the replacement of the old structures. Over the Housatonic River the old bridge was used during the construction of the new double track bridge and was subsequently replaced with another double bridge for at total of four tracks. It would be interesting to see how the train schedules were modified during this period of intense construction.
“The old bridge at Cos Cob which is now being renewed was a two track deck truss structure of seven fixed spans and one center pier draw span with two deck plate girder approach spans on the west end. The rails were 29.2 ft above mean high water four fixed spans on the west end were 185 ft long the draw span 235 ft long and the fixed spans on the east end were 180 ft long. The trusses on the west end are in good condition and will not be renewed The piers are being widened on both sides by building on to the existing masonry and the additional trusses needed for four tracks will be erected on the outside of the present. On the east end however the old trusses are being taken down and new piers built for three spans identical with those on the east end. A twin pair of double track Scherzer rolling lift bridges is to span the main channel giving a 75 ft clear opening. Two new piers will be built to support the roller bearings and a short deck plate girder will connect the lift spans with the fixed span to the east. During the renewal trains are being run over a two track pile bent trestle built about 130 ft north of the center line of the old bridge. The bents are spaced 12 ft apart and over the channel a temporary 35 ft wooden movable span has been put in. The old bridge is being dismantled with derricks on shore and on lighters and temporary shoring was put in to support the structure while the work is in progress. Daly & Holbrook are the contractors for the substructure of this bridge and the bridge at Westport The steel work is being supplied by the Pennsylvania Steel Company.
The bridge renewal at Westport over the Saugatuck River is being done under conditions very similar to those at Cos Cob. The old bridge at this point which consists of three 90 ft fixed deck truss double track spans and one deck truss draw span will be replaced by three deck plate girders of the same span and a pair of twin double track Scherzer rolling lift bridges having a clear opening of 70 ft. The foundations of the old piers will be made use of but the masonry is to be taken down and replaced with piers wide enough for four tracks. A temporary trestle built around the bridge site carries the traffic while the renewal is being made. The accompanying shows the old and new bridges and the location of the temporary trestle. This and the renewal of the Cos Cob Bridge now well under way the old piers and superstructure being almost entirely removed Daly & Holbrook are the contractors for substructure and the Passaic Steel for the steel work.
The Housatonic river bridge which is double track through pin connected structure without a draw span will be renewed a little later on, On account of ice which moves out of the river in the winter a temporary trestle cannot be around this bridge so that in changing over to a four track structure a new double track bridge will be built to one side completed ready for use before the trusses are dismantled.”
“The old bridge at Cos Cob which is now being renewed was a two track deck truss structure of seven fixed spans and one center pier draw span with two deck plate girder approach spans on the west end. The rails were 29.2 ft above mean high water four fixed spans on the west end were 185 ft long the draw span 235 ft long and the fixed spans on the east end were 180 ft long. The trusses on the west end are in good condition and will not be renewed The piers are being widened on both sides by building on to the existing masonry and the additional trusses needed for four tracks will be erected on the outside of the present. On the east end however the old trusses are being taken down and new piers built for three spans identical with those on the east end. A twin pair of double track Scherzer rolling lift bridges is to span the main channel giving a 75 ft clear opening. Two new piers will be built to support the roller bearings and a short deck plate girder will connect the lift spans with the fixed span to the east. During the renewal trains are being run over a two track pile bent trestle built about 130 ft north of the center line of the old bridge. The bents are spaced 12 ft apart and over the channel a temporary 35 ft wooden movable span has been put in. The old bridge is being dismantled with derricks on shore and on lighters and temporary shoring was put in to support the structure while the work is in progress. Daly & Holbrook are the contractors for the substructure of this bridge and the bridge at Westport The steel work is being supplied by the Pennsylvania Steel Company.
The bridge renewal at Westport over the Saugatuck River is being done under conditions very similar to those at Cos Cob. The old bridge at this point which consists of three 90 ft fixed deck truss double track spans and one deck truss draw span will be replaced by three deck plate girders of the same span and a pair of twin double track Scherzer rolling lift bridges having a clear opening of 70 ft. The foundations of the old piers will be made use of but the masonry is to be taken down and replaced with piers wide enough for four tracks. A temporary trestle built around the bridge site carries the traffic while the renewal is being made. The accompanying shows the old and new bridges and the location of the temporary trestle. This and the renewal of the Cos Cob Bridge now well under way the old piers and superstructure being almost entirely removed Daly & Holbrook are the contractors for substructure and the Passaic Steel for the steel work.
The Housatonic river bridge which is double track through pin connected structure without a draw span will be renewed a little later on, On account of ice which moves out of the river in the winter a temporary trestle cannot be around this bridge so that in changing over to a four track structure a new double track bridge will be built to one side completed ready for use before the trusses are dismantled.”
