Railroad Companies Repairing Infrastructure On Their Own

Transit agencies and railroad companies realize the importance of infrastructure, as their train cars roll over bridges and through tunnels every day. This article looks at advances in bridge construction begin driven by these private industries.

1 minute read

November 14, 2011, 8:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


Howard Ande of Progressive Railroading says that there are still some 70-year old timber trestles out there that need to be replaced with concrete:

"Emerging technology could play a role in future bridge projects, such as a hybrid composite beam (HCB), [Norfolk Southern Chief Engineer of Bridges and Structures Jim Carter] says. Comprising a carbon-fiber reinforced concrete arch encased with fiberglass, HCB is undergoing tests at the Transportation Technology Center Inc.'s Facility for Accelerated Service Testing (FAST) track in Pueblo, Colo."

Ande also talks with Union Pacific and the Alaska Railroad Corp. about their bridge-building initiatives.

Thursday, October 13, 2011 in Progressive Railroading

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