Trout Brook Bridge - Official Work Thread

[Mike Fox]

The pool just down stream of the bridge is fairly deep. I suspect that has filled in slightly since the photo of the wreck, due in part (or mostly) of the erosion caused by the skidder crossing. They drug all that debri, stones, sediment and brush through the brook upsteam of the trestle. The brook pushed it down, filling in some of the pool.

[Bernie Perch]

Mike,

Thanx for your answer.  When I get up there for FWW, I will check it out.

Bern

[Robert Hale]

This is the first time I have ever seen a bridge wearing a pair of roller skates. Great work everyone. Even at a distance I feel that I am there seeing this progress happen. 

[Paul Uhland]

So, is da Bridge finally set? Approach work humming along?
Need a progress fix!   

[Bill Baskerville]

Check Facebook for pix of the bridge setting on it’s corbels in it’s final location. There are also pix of the temporary bridge spans being removed to make room for the north approch span.

[Paul Uhland]

Thanks, Bill. Looks GREAT!
So for now, all ya have are two smaller, approach projects. 
Youz guys are HEROES!

[Carl G. Soderstrom]

Paul
"Heroes are ordinary people doing extra ordinary things"

These guys are Super Heroes because they are extra ordinary people that
are continually doing very extra ordinary things - in their spare time.

[Chuck Watford]

fantastic, just fantastic!! I have enjoyed every post so far and can't wait to see trains moving across the bridge. One worry, in our neck of the woods, that bridge would be a prime target for ATV riders, 4-wheelers and other vandals. I hope you are taking security measures to protect all your hard work. At least trail cams, at best, an armed guard!

[Paul Uhland]

Extra lines in a new buried comm cable could handle cam surveillance of Da Bridge.
And I think a ROW gate/fence at 218 would discourage snooping, vandalism.

It's a shame such extra but probably necessary protection needs consideration.

[Joe Fox]

Not to say ATV's wont be an issue, we are extremely fortunate to have some very caring and considerate neighbors.

[Paul Uhland]

Good, responsible neighbors usually discourage, often prevent crime.

[Alex Harvilchuck]

Not to say ATV's wont be an issue, we are extremely fortunate to have some very caring and considerate neighbors.

At minimum the ROW and especially the bridge + approach trestles should be posted for No Trespassing since not everyone is as considerate as our good neighbors and friends. We should be posting all crossings with such discrete signs -



Legally the signs might have to be posted by the W&Q since that is the entity that the Museum is leveraging.

U.S. Code › Title 49 › Subtitle V › Part A › Chapter 201 › Subchapter II › § 20151
- Railroad trespassing, vandalism, and highway-rail grade crossing warning sign violation prevention strategy
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/20151 <- Thanks go out to Cornell Law School!

(c)Model Legislation.—
(1) Within 18 months after November 2, 1994, the Secretary, after consultation with State and local governments and railroad carriers, shall develop and make available to State and local governments model State legislation providing for—
(A) civil or criminal penalties, or both, for vandalism of railroad equipment or property which could affect the safety of the public or of railroad employees; and
(B) civil or criminal penalties, or both, for trespassing on a railroad owned or leased right-of-way.

I'll see if I can dig up the specific Maine legislation for RR ROW Trespass.

I'd urge the BoD to consider it as an agenda item.

[Mike Fox]

Currently there are 4 potential entries to the grade in that area. They are not all clearly marked or recognizable, and two of them will be permanently blocked by logs, to keep them out of the new ditch I have dug.

The entry at 218 will be blocked by a rock or 2 when we are all done. We may have to hire contractor Jeff to move them, but the grade will be blocked effectively.

We normally don't have issues with 4 wheelers. They have marked trails, but they don't see much use like they do further inland in the state, where the riding is better.

[Chuck Watford]

we are extremely fortunate to have some very caring and considerate neighbors.

You are lucky, here a lot of the ATV/trail riders do not respect other people's property. A gate or fence is something to be torn down, no trespassing signs are targets for shotguns. boulders or logs across a road/trail are simply seen as a challenge to get around. Any structure is something to damage/burn down. I would just hate to see the bridge burned AGAIN!

[Paul Uhland]

I am torn between trying to keep WW&F safe from vandals and thieves by not over-exposing details of the RR's existence, to seeing many warning signs posted along the line,  alerting troublemakers to legal consequences of their warped damage.

Maybe both approaches would work.