Mountain Extension - Official Work Thread

[John Kokas]

Thanks Jason for the detailed explanation of the bridge situation.  IMHO it will be best to maintain the higher elevation for the following reason.  As we have found in eastern PA, we are having more than average 100+ year floods.  Some is due to storms themselves but much is due to development and associated runoff.  Thus the Army Corps is reevaluating its criteria and expanding the floodplain mapping.  Planning over the long term, one cannot determine how much development may occur in the future and how it will effect stream flows.  In essence, better safe than sorry ................

[Mike Fox]

This was no where near the 100 year high, but was more likely close to the annual high. I was glad to see this on person, because there are other factors in the immediate area that would cause the water to go even higher. The road bridge, for instance, was approximately 2 feet above the water. While on site, I figured our bridge would also have the same clearance.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Ok I see now that yesterday’s water made it above the high water line.  Mikes picture of the highway bridge made me look again.  Makes me wish I’d gone up yesterday afternoon.

Note the bottom of the bridge is roughly level w the current ground level (maybe 4” lower).  That indicates the clearance we’d have. 

See ya
Jason

[Wayne Laepple]

Another, perhaps unanticipated, benefit of raising the track and the bridge would be that the southbound approach, depending on the length of the runoff, would give southbound trains a bit of a boost to get a "run" toward the steep southbound grade.

[Mike Fox]

Looking at the National Weather Service, precipitation total for Wiscasset for this storm was 2.14 inches. This, added to the fact that the brook was covered with ice, led to ice jams and slow water flow.

[Jeff Schumaker]

So, how long will tree clearing be delayed, due to the rain and warmer weather?

Jeff S.

[Fred Morse]

I think they will be cutting Tues., let's hope! Weds. it's supposed to snow.

[Jason M Lamontagne]

Yes, cutting Tuesday!!  Please join us if you can!

Jason

[Gordon Cook]

Thanks for the complete and interesting explanation. The map helps a lot to understand the distances.

The pics are a stark example of the serious nature of this job and how that lazy and shallow brook we all have seen in the summer can change dramatically.

[Mike Fox]

Tree cutting on Tuesday will be going down the mountain. If I can make it, I want to burn the pile of brush at Trout Brook, which I will need no or minimal help for. I would like to wait for snow cover again before tree removal continues at the brook.

[Bill Reidy]

Looking at the latest drawing for the bridge, I noticed the grade is flat across the bridge.  Does the climb up the mountain start just south of the bridge?  Or does it flatten out for the bridge?

[Joe Fox]

The uphill climb starts off extremely easy, and is less than 1% for quite a ways. I suspect the only real 3% grade will be at the last 1,000' of the climb. From walks, and looking at Val maps, the grade slowly gets steeper and steeper the further south you go. As best as I can guess right now, there is about 1900' of 2% and steeper grade.

[Mike Fox]

I want to move the grade topic over here, as well as any questions that may come up for the rest of the work. So, I include one of the Topo maps here, to show the elevation at the bridge and the climb up the mountain.

[Mike Fox]

Check the Mountain Thread for the grade discussion

[Carl G. Soderstrom]

If my vote counts - keep it high.
The Hundred Year Floods seem to be coming every 10 to 12 years around here.

Though not exactly historically accurate - to alleviate fill and retaining walls - could the approaches
be on pile trestles? 2 to 3 foot high? Use concrete posts  to cut down maintenance, stained brown.