Trout Brook Bridge - Official Work Thread

[Steve Smith]

Great photographic reporting, Brendan. Thank you!

[Bill Baskerville]

Wowee, I was just there two days ago and now things are now flying along.  No pun intended on how things fly across the brook. 

Good work all!  Impressive progress!  Maybe I should have left earlier.

[Carl G. Soderstrom]

Thanks for the report & especially pix.

[Robert Hale]

Where is the fishy foreman at?

[Mike Fox]

Bob Holmes sent me this photo..

[John McNamara]

Very impressive that all the piles line up within a fraction of an inch (or part of a millimeter for Alain). How do they achieve such precision?

-John M

[Stephen Greif]

If you are referring to the height they drive them in to a point at which they are taller than the final height of the cap beam, then cut the piles down to the final height. 

[Kevin Kierstead]

how will the top beams be attached to the pilings?

[Paul Uhland]

And, is the cross timber shown to be part of the permanent bridge, or just a level/vertical pile check?
Pile placement, plumbness, look great to frustrated-engineer me. 

Will youz guys set up and pop in the other eleven piles ASAP, then haul up and set the short spans cribbings?
No...wait. The big middle span needs to be slid into place first.

The Great Main Span Placement should be THE area event of this decade! 

[Mike Fox]

There are 2 more piles that need to be driven. These are the outside "Batter Piles". They are driven at an angle (I forget the degree) that will protect these main piles.

Pictured is one of caps. Another one needs to go on, along with some bracing.

For reference, the trusses of the bridge sit on the 2 groups of 4 piles on the outside. The center 3 piles are under the approach span.

[Joe Fox]

The cross member is permanent and is the bridge cap that holds the piles together. It is held in place with bridge pins. One the batter piles are onstalled the cross bracing will go up.

[Paul Uhland]

Thanks, guys. Love "snoopervising"  this whole process, never too many pics.
BTW, just got my newsletter.

[Brendan Barry]

Both caps are on the south side pile bent and the cross bracing is on. The cross bracing still needs to be bolted through the piles. We're waiting on our bolt order. The crew is going to drive the batter/ ice breaking pile for the south pile bent tomorrrow and then move the crane so work can start on the north piles.





View from the top.

[Bob Holmes]

How are the very heavy (I know I worked on them) trapezoidal support blocks being positioned and attached to the bent caps?

[Paul Uhland]

Fascinating. Superb work.