Trout Brook Bridge - Official Work Thread

[James Patten]

The bridge, and roadbed, are both in the middle of a land trust's property, Midcoast Conservancy.  I doubt there'll be much issue.

Further south in the past we've had issues with snowmobiles riding along the track and compacting it in between the rails, not so much nowadays.

FYI I think bridge work has a week and a half left to go, before our in-stream zone permit suspends until next year (Sept 30).  I'm guessing the south abutment needs to be finished in that time.

[Kevin Kierstead]

When the bridge settled in,was there much tweaking to be done to level and align it to the track height?
How was any adjustment accomplished?

[Mike the Choochoo Nix]

The main bridge should not settle at all if the piling were driven properly.  Maybe the approach spans?
Mike Nix

[Bob Holmes]

North bridge abutment and approach finished today.  Brendan will have pictures to which I will add some if I have some unique views.

[Brendan Barry]

Bridge down on the corbels looking north.



Looking north from underneath the bridge. All the cribbing has been removed from the north end except for the two beams bolted to the piles under the caps.



Underneath the bridge looking south.



North approach abutment with the crane mats removed.



Mudsill sitting on top of the north approach abutment.



Approach stringers going in.











Approach stringers being pinned in place.





North approach span complete except for ties.

[Robert Hale]

I think this will be the best spot on the railroad for photos for years to come. Great work everyone thus far.

[Joe Fox]

Yay. Glad to see the bridge stringers that we worked so hard on are getting used.  Those bolts weren't much fun to drive in.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Nice work. When does work start on the south approach?

Jeff S.

[Bernie Perch]

Have the Covered Bridge people, the people who originally reconstructed the bridge, and anyone who originally "saved" any part of the bridge commented about what has happened to it?

Bernie

[Harold Downey]

The National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges had an article about "our" bridge in their summer newsletter.

http://www.coveredbridgesociety.org/newsletters/nspcb-newsletter-summer2018.pdf

[Ed Lecuyer]

Yes. Bill Caswell, President of the Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, has been well informed of our progress and has been working among his circle of preservationists to ensure the success of this project. Unfortunately, he was unable to be present on bridge move day.

[Mike Fox]

And, Bill and his wife were recently at the museum. They got the presidential treatment.

[Robert Hale]

What type of fire prevention/extinguishing equiptment will be placed at the bridge?

[Joe Fox]

The entire bridge has been coated with fire retardent. Any fire prevention source would be supplied by either the tender and hose on the steam engine, hand pump fire extinguisher from on board the train, or a fire hose from the responding fire department.

[Brendan Barry]

Grading out two loads of rip rap to bring the grade up to the approach span stringers.







Spreading out a load of 1.5" stone on top of the rip rap.









Grading to the approach span done.







Putting ice and water shield over the top of the approach span stringers.



Linc cleaning off the last timber for the ice and water shield.



Placing ties on the approach span.



Bob slinging a bridge tie.



Ties in place on the approach span.









Bob's picture of me taking a picture.