Posted by Strasburg RR on Facebook:



If I'm reading this correctly, this would have to mean that the railroad is operating to Groff's Grove picnic area, and then running around the train there. The only bridge on the railroad, of course, is a short stringer allowing access between two parts of a farm just shy of the long curve to Leaman Place.

Come to think of it, is this bridge being completely rebuilt or replaced, or just rehabilitated a bit? How old is the current structure? I know a few bridge geeks that would actually care.......

If I remember correctly, the bridge is being completely replaced...

Instead of guessing, it's not that hard to check their website...

To be fair, that wasn't the disclaimer on the home page, which was what the Facebook post referred its readers to. Of course, it's easier to do "out and back" with the LO&S "gas car' (now running on diesel) than with the train.......

I still wouldn't mind a guess on the heritage of the existing (but not much longer) span.....

I would imagine it is no older than the railroad itself.....

I kind of seriously doubt the structure itself dates from 1832-34. The abutments, possibly, but.....

Even back before 1964, the conductors were trying to get the passengers to help stretch the life of that bridge by asking them to "please lift your feet as we pass over it"!

The bridge in question as seen in September, 2011:



/Mitch

Looking at Mitch's picture, it would appear as if there's been some serious tree cutting done around that bridge. I don't ever recall that spot as being suitable for a well-lit photo.

Perhaps one of the Strasburg folks could enlighten us as to why the bridge is being replaced. Could this have something to do with the increased revenue freight ops on the line?

/Kevin

This is strictly speculation from some mouthy jerk who read a few books about bridges and thinks he knows what he's talking about...... oh, and consulted with several counties and the Federal Highway Administration on covered bridge restoration techniques.......

You see that rusty rail sticking out horizontally? it's part of a temporary bent put in by someone (presumably the railroad) to relieve stress on the far abutment. This appears to be a dry-laid abutment (no mortar). Elevated abutments such as this are susceptible to erosion and eventual failure/collapse, either catastrophic or gradual. Remember all those "monsoons" they had from tropical storms a little while ago up that way? Covered bridges washed out, and all that?

I haven't seen this bridge close-up for several years, but I've seen a very similar overpass, and so have many others here--the Runk Road overpass on the East Broad Top. The last time I saw that bridge, the spalling on the concrete facing of that abutment was, to put it bluntly, "hair-raising."

I'll let the Strasburg folks chime in, if they choose, on freight car weights and this bridge's Cooper rating..... <:-)

I've got to agree with AMD on this one...

That temporary "helper bent" indicates they're not confident in the strength of the abutment. I think that's an actual I beam rather than a "rusty chunk of rail" but the implication is the same, the bridge needed additonal support.

Also, for those wondering about the age of the bridge, I'm pretty certain I see a fairly modern looking I beam used as the stringer. So it would appear the bridge has already had significant modifications.

The bridge is now being replaced as part of the 1 million dollar grant the railroad received to upgrade their line for freight shipments. The bridge and railroad is fine to support the passenger trains but 100 and 150 ton freight cars pounding the line is another story hence the grant and upgrades. The new bridge coming in is a prefabricated bridge but I don’t know any more than that. The railroad is also supposed to upgrade the track at Leaman Place. Here is a quote from an article from Lancaster New Era dated Nov. 10, 2010.

“The matching grant is for $1 million from the state, Weaver said, with an additional $500,000 coming from Strasburg Rail Road. The money, Weaver said, will enhance the track to better accommodate the needs of freight service."Basically, it's to rebuild some of our infrastructure that's worn down," he said. Also, he said, the track isn't up to standards for modern freight. The project includes rehabilitation of the main track, the junction with Norfolk Southern and a rail bridge, part of which dates back to the mid-19th century. It also will increase the capacity of the freight terminal.”

Pennsy Power

Does this mean passengers won't have to lift their feet when they cross the bridge?

It's been quite a while since I've ridden over the Strasburg, but from what I've seen in person when I was there, and from photos from more recent times, there are a lot of shortlines who could only wish their track was as "worn down" as the Strasburg. They've always had a top notch right of way in my opinion.

(Of course a big part of that is keeping it that way, and they are correct that the heavier freight cars would put more wear and tear on the track....)

There was a story/rumor/"urban legend" that was floating around several years ago among well-placed sources that the Strasburg had at least considered the installation of continuous welded rail, but nixed it solely on account of losing the classic 'clickety-clack." Given that today's young folks have largely never even considered train travel at all save for maybe a subway ride, and that the "clickety-clack" is almost as scarce as the "choo-choo" today, I wonder if such an argument would hold forth in 2015......