Trout Brook Bridge - Official Work Thread

[Mike Fox]

I guess I should have sat next to Hannah. But I like being unseen...

[Ed Lecuyer]

But then they probably would have identified you as Michael J. Fox!
(oh, wait.)

[Mike Fox]

Jeff, we now need a permit for the bridge, permits for culvert work and an individual permit for the repair at the pinch point. We will then apply for a track construction permit for sections 1, 2 & 4. Section 3 will have it's track includes, as will sections 5 & 6.
 

[Brendan Barry]

Floor beams being installed on Thursday 12/8.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Impressive. Thanks for the images, Brendan.

Jeff S.

[Paul Uhland]

Half the deck members mounted.
Stupendous!
Betcha the bridge is done by first VC, next weekend. 
And tnx for the detailed photo coverage. 

[Bill Baskerville]

I see in some of the pictures that we have a new grade crossing on the woods track in the parking lot.  Will that stay?  Has it been named?

[Bob Holmes]

So which part of the bridge actually rests on the abutments?

[Ed Lecuyer]

Re "crossing" - No crossing. Those planks were to protect the track when the forklift lifted that side of the bridge.

Re abutments - The 47' bridge will be centered across the 74' gap, supported by two piers. There will be two 12' approach spans - one on each side of the bridge. This design was chosen to minimize environmental impact, and keep the piers out of the brook waterway.

[Mike Fox]

The rest of the floor timbers were installed today, and the angled outside braces were started. I think they got one done.

[Bill Baskerville]

Ok.... help me out here....

One bridge that is 47 feet long
Two approach spans, each 12 feet long
According to my meager math skills that adds up to 71 feet of span
Across a 74 foot gap....
What am I missing here?

Is our wonderful machine shop working on a new star trek levitation device for the other three feet?
Will the three foot gap be divided into half so each end of bridge will only require the trains to jump a 1 1/2 foot gap?
Oh.... wait.... I figured it out.... if we put a 3/4 foot gap between each end of the bridge and the approach spans.... then.... will the radius of the wheels allow them to bridge (pun intended) the gap? 
Might work on the locomotive with the larger wheels but what about the cars....

Oh well, it snowed today and cabin fever is setting in and now my brain hurts....

[Tom Casper]

Bill, I am with you, doesn't add up!

Tom C.

[Fred Morse]

Maybe, at 2oo MPH!

[Ed Lecuyer]

Sorry, I was going by memory with the numbers. I don't have the final lengths of the two approach spans.

[Bill Baskerville]

Good idea Fred.

Now we need to:
1. Have the Superintendent amend the speed limit in the rule book.
2. Greatly improve the brakes so we can cross the bridge at 200 mph and still stop before 218.
     Achieving this speed going down the mountain should be easy.
     Slowing down going up the mountain should also be easy.
3. Complete an engineering study to increase the boiler pressure to allow acceleration from zero at 218 to 200 mph by Trout Brook Bridge.
4. Increase the engine cylinder size to utilize the increased pressure to enable the aforementioned acceleration.
5. Implement the engineering study recommendations in our locomotives. (note I have left 51 and 52 out of this proposal)

Now my brain hurts again....