7993 replies to this topic

[Bingo]

Yeah, the pack rust is supposedly pushing the rivets apart. The rail span unusable for the train, but want to keep it operating for cyclists.

[Rob Randall]

Luton said on CFAX this morning that the rail bridge must be closed now.

Engineeers say it's toast.

John told me the other day he has some photos of the counterweight interior on his Flickr page. I haven't had the chance to check them out but it sounds bad.

[Bingo]

Luton said on CFAX this morning that the rail bridge must be closed now.

Engineeers say it's toast.

But the rail span will be saved and moved to become part of a cycling path at Rock Bay. Any word on that from the engineers?

[Mike K.]

Wasn't the vehicle span also slated for closure?

[Bingo]

Wasn't the vehicle span also slated for closure?

It will be closed after the new bridge is in place just to the north.

Seems odd that the vehicle span is still safe enough to use for another few years, but the rail span is unsafe and needs to be closed now.

[sebberry]

I'm shocked How could a bridge that has been neglected for this long be in anything but perfect condition?!



Forgive me if this has been asked before..

But we're looking at $12m for the new rail span. Surely it can't be that much to make the car span 12-15 feet wider, can it?

I'm assuming that the $12m would be for an independantly adjustable rail span, right? Why can't it all be one piece?

[Bingo]

Victoria city officials have closed the Johnson Street bridge rail span.

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz1IEtWR4Cs

[Mike K.]

It will be closed after the new bridge is in place just to the north.

Seems odd that the vehicle span is still safe enough to use for another few years, but the rail span is unsafe and needs to be closed now.

Right, but didn't the Johnson Street Bridge replacement pamphlet that was mailed to residents state that the vehicle span would be closed in ~2012 if council didn't act to replace the bridge? Does anyone have this doc to reference what it said?

[Coreyburger]

It will be closed after the new bridge is in place just to the north.

Seems odd that the vehicle span is still safe enough to use for another few years, but the rail span is unsafe and needs to be closed now.

Not really. A budd car is around 70 tons, far more than even the heaviest of trucks.

EDIT: John Luton's post also states that CP Rail was responsible for maintenance, and the likely badly neglected it, like most short-line railway infrastructure.

[Bingo]

Not really. A budd car is around 70 tons, far more than even the heaviest of trucks.

But rust is rust and if you can see daylight through the beams on the rail bridge, it is likely the same on the vehicle span. By the way, the bridge was designed to carry steam locomotives weighing around 120 tons.

I wonder if the bridge closure is to force the E&N station to move now, rather than later?

[Coreyburger]

But rust is rust and if you can see daylight through the beams on the rail bridge, it is likely the same on the vehicle span. By the way, the bridge was designed to carry steam locomotives weighing around 120 tons.

I wonder if the bridge closure is to force the E&N station to move now, rather than later?

Bridges get downrated all the time and many bridges which can no longer hold trains or cars get turned into pedestrian/cycling bridges, because the load is so much lower.

[Mike K.]

Here a photo of the corrosion:

http://village900.bl...ign=village_900

[Mike K.]

CFAX is reporting that the City of Victoria has secured the $21-million from the federal government. Election restrictions prohibit the feds from making a traditional festive announcement for awarding the cash.

[Bingo]

Here a photo of the corrosion:

http://village900.bl...ign=village_900

Judging by the size of the rivets, the rusted piece shown looks thin to begin with, and less than 12 inches wide. The conduit going into the round box is only 3/4" dia., as it is stamped as so. It would be interesting to show that piece of rust in context to a wider view of that section of the bridge.

Is that he worst piece they can show us?

[Mike K.]

A new website has launched called www.thejsbgroup.org . It looks like a group that is pro-replacement and pro-progress, generally speaking.

[Bingo]

A new website has launched called www.jsbgroup.org. It looks like a group that is pro-replacement and pro-progress, generally speaking.

The link didn't work.

[Mike K.]

My bad, it's www.thejsbgroup.org .

[Bingo]

My bad, it's www.thejsbgroup.org .

It will be interesting to see their version of the progress at the bridge site.
One the renderings still shows rail coming over on the south side of the bridge.

[Jacques Cadé]

City has full report for tomorrow's council meeting on its website at http://www.johnsonst...of-rail-bridge/

Options are $120K for temporary fix of rail span, or closing it immediately. Staff recommend the latter to save money, and to move forward with plans to put pedestrian and cycling traffic onto the Westsong Walkway (sidewalk on south side of road span?) during construction of the new bridge.

Engineer's report mentions a bunch of steel repairs that should be done to the road span as well, but doesn't say how much those will cost.

[Jacques Cadé]

Council has voted to close the rail bridge to all traffic, including bicycles and pedestrians. City says they will close the rail span this Saturday, and lock it in the upright position:

http://www.cfax1070....=article&id=871

Looks like tomorrow will be everyone's last chance to walk along the tracks from downtown to Vic West.