Railroad Forums 

  • All Things Portal Bridge: Amtrak and NJT Status and Replacement Discussion

  • This forum will be for issues that don't belong specifically to one NYC area transit agency, but several. For instance, intra-MTA proposals or MTA-wide issues, which may involve both Metro-North Railroad (MNRR) and the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Other intra-agency examples: through running such as the now discontinued MNRR-NJT Meadowlands special. Topics which only concern one operating agency should remain in their respective forums.
This forum will be for issues that don't belong specifically to one NYC area transit agency, but several. For instance, intra-MTA proposals or MTA-wide issues, which may involve both Metro-North Railroad (MNRR) and the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Other intra-agency examples: through running such as the now discontinued MNRR-NJT Meadowlands special. Topics which only concern one operating agency should remain in their respective forums.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, nomis, FL9AC, Jeff Smith

 #1617901  by keithsy
 
Read and learn. Plenty of books, journals, reports, news articles. The money was there for years, but it went to waste and in many pockets. I blame with USDOT for forcing unreal mandates for minority hiring, diversity, MBE, WBE, DBE, affirmative action and the administration, thereof.
There will be more cost overruns when they start digging and the more palms will be out.
Last edited by keithsy on Sat Mar 11, 2023 1:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
 #1619196  by OportRailfan
 
jlr3266 wrote: Thu Mar 16, 2023 11:33 am That is correct. The drill rigs and materials need to reach out to the cofferdams/foundations. In theory, the temporary bridges will be removed, but so was the temporary one for Secaucus .
Exactly, and now its falling apart. Would've been nice to be able to drive up to LACK and the locations to the west, but much of it is walkable.
 #1621931  by PRRTechFan
 
...couldn't find any other posts on this. Amtrak and NJT service suspended for a while today due to "signal issues at the Portal Bridge". There are still delays tonight. I'm curious here... what possible "signal issues" could there be here that are taking upwards of 12, 18 or more hours to fix? There are two straight through tracks with a handful of limit switch interlocks to determine bridge closed, locked and mitre rail position.
 #1621944  by STrRedWolf
 
PRRTechFan wrote: Thu May 11, 2023 9:30 pm ...couldn't find any other posts on this. Amtrak and NJT service suspended for a while today due to "signal issues at the Portal Bridge". There are still delays tonight. I'm curious here... what possible "signal issues" could there be here that are taking upwards of 12, 18 or more hours to fix? There are two straight through tracks with a handful of limit switch interlocks to determine bridge closed, locked and mitre rail position.
12-18 hours sounds more like they need to completely strip and rewire the signals. Maybe somebody was stealing copper again?
 #1621945  by scratchyX1
 
STrRedWolf wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 7:12 am
PRRTechFan wrote: Thu May 11, 2023 9:30 pm ...couldn't find any other posts on this. Amtrak and NJT service suspended for a while today due to "signal issues at the Portal Bridge". There are still delays tonight. I'm curious here... what possible "signal issues" could there be here that are taking upwards of 12, 18 or more hours to fix? There are two straight through tracks with a handful of limit switch interlocks to determine bridge closed, locked and mitre rail position.
12-18 hours sounds more like they need to completely strip and rewire the signals. Maybe somebody was stealing copper again?
again?
 #1621990  by west point
 
Amtrak site said something about an over voltage problem. If contractor hit a high voltage line that then passed into low voltage line then some signal boxes may have been fried. Appears dispatch using switch men to allow NJT mid-town direct trains to be switched on and off NEC?

EDIT: Note problem bulletined to go thru Sunday . So, problem serious.
 #1622014  by west point
 
PRRTechFan wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 9:24 pm I think all of the 25Hz 13kv & 132kv are on very high aerial lines that bypass the moveable span... But they've got to have some sort of both power and control underwater into the center pivot to operate the bridge itself.
Good point. Just imagine 480 V motor current going into signal circuits. Or maybe just unground signal circuits getting crossed underwater with the 480 volt 3 phase.
 #1622142  by OportRailfan
 
west point wrote: Sat May 13, 2023 1:12 pm
PRRTechFan wrote: Fri May 12, 2023 9:24 pm I think all of the 25Hz 13kv & 132kv are on very high aerial lines that bypass the moveable span... But they've got to have some sort of both power and control underwater into the center pivot to operate the bridge itself.
Good point. Just imagine 480 V motor current going into signal circuits. Or maybe just unground signal circuits getting crossed underwater with the 480 volt 3 phase.
Signal power (240/480V) cables got drilled along with low voltage signal cables that run from signal location to location. All the traction power stuff is overhead/aerial/on the new ROW.

I can only assume that temporary (temporary (non-submarine) until permanent repairs to submarine cable can be effected) cables were ran and spliced over the weekend in order to bring back fail-safe/functionality of the bridge.
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