I-235 / I-44 Interchange

[catch22]

Now that BNSF owns the bridge maybe they'll paint it. Looks like it was a used bridge from some rust belt city.

[Rover]

Now that BNSF owns the bridge maybe they'll paint it. Looks like it was a used bridge from some rust belt city.

This was explained some pages back.

[catch22]

This was explained some pages back.

The thought moderator has spoken!

[d-usa]

Well, there is a difference between “I think it’s ugly and should be painted” and “there is a scientific and functional reason it won’t be painted”...

[OUman]

The first few posts on page 30 and some posts below on the same page discuss the bridge appearance. Apparently it's "weathering" steel so as to make it self-protected. So it won't be painted, as the steel is a mixture of alloys made sepcifically to prevent further corrosion.

[Rover]

The thought moderator has spoken!

Sorry. Didn’t realize you were being rhetorical when commenting “maybe they will paint it”. Info on that was posted. Thought you might not have seen it. Maybe you are just having a bad day and wanted to lash out.

[baralheia]

Now that BNSF owns the bridge maybe they'll paint it. Looks like it was a used bridge from some rust belt city.

Extremely unlikely, not just for the reason mentioned here, but also because BNSF (like most railroads) are vastly more concerned with function vs looks. They'll paint something if they need to as part of routine maintenance - like locomotives - but in the vast majority of cases, if paint isn't required to protect the structure, they aren't going to go out of their way and spend money to just make something pretty. The truss bridge over the Red River, seen when riding Amtrak's Heartland Flyer, looks very similar... and there's a few plate girder bridges I can think of that are the same way as well.

[Pete]

Took this yesterday. You can see them pulling up the old track and ties from the now discontinued section of the RR line and bridge in advance of this weekend's demolition (right click and open in new tab for higher res version):

[OKCisOK4me]

A lil confused. I've read the interstate is closing this weekend and the following weekend. First weekend for 50th street bridge, second weekend for old railroad bridge removal. Has the latter been moved forward?

[Pete]

A lil confused. I've read the interstate is closing this weekend and the following weekend. First weekend for 50th street bridge, second weekend for old railroad bridge removal. Has the latter been moved forward?

I believe this coming weekend they will be hanging steel supports for 50th that will span the interstate.

Then the following weekend they will demo the old RR bridge. As you can see from my photo, it looks like they have some work to do on that old bridge before they pull it completely down.

[OKCisOK4me]

That's what I thought but I just wanted to verify. Thanks Pete.

[hipsterdoofus]

I keep finding myself wondering what the work is that is just south of the old RR bridge. Is it just future retaining wall?

[turnpup]

I believe this coming weekend they will be hanging steel supports for 50th that will span the interstate.

Then the following weekend they will demo the old RR bridge. As you can see from my photo, it looks like they have some work to do on that old bridge before they pull it completely down.

Yep. This is what was going on about 8:30 this morning:

IMG_0360.JPG

IMG_0362.JPG

[rezman]

Interesting that the the old alignment offsets to the west a bit as it approached the old plate girders, and the new alignment is straight, making me wonder if the original alignment was straight before Broadway Extension was built, and the plate girder crossing was built along side the the existing line, just like the new truss bridge was done, and is now back on it’s original alignment.

[jompster]

Interesting that the the old alignment offsets to the west a bit as it approached the old plate girders, and the new alignment is straight, making me wonder if the original alignment was straight before Broadway Extension was built, and the plate girder crossing was built along side the the existing line, just like the new truss bridge was done, and is now back on it’s original alignment.

I thought the exact same thing. That's certainly what it looks like.

[jn1780]

It doesn't really seem like that much of an opportunity was lost making not making the railroad bridge double track. The truss bridge would have to be designed to carry two trains at one time which would certainly increase the cost. Looking at the alignment it wouldn't be that hard to building an identical truss bridge just to the south of the existing one. There is more redundancy keeping two tracks separate. It may actually be cheaper too not having to engineer one single bridge to carry two trains.

[BoulderSooner]

It doesn't really seem like that much of an opportunity was lost making not making the railroad bridge double track. The truss bridge would have to be designed to carry two trains at one time which would certainly increase the cost. Looking at the alignment it wouldn't be that hard to building an identical truss bridge just to the south of the existing one. There is more redundancy keeping two tracks separate. It may actually be cheaper too not having to engineer one single bridge to carry two trains.

If they are building the highway with enough room to add a second bridge

[Pete]

Just took this (about 10AM Sunday 3/4/18):

[hipsterdoofus]

Thanks for the pictures, Pete! Always nice to get a view from above to make more sense of things.

[catch22]

Are they going to put up both spans this weekend? The east side doesn't look ready for the beams?

Also, will they be able to install the road deck with traffic passing under or are there going to have to be more closures for that?

[jn1780]

If they are building the highway with enough room to add a second bridge

That s true. I was just noticing that the 50th street bridge span over the old railroad alignment is the same type over the new alignment. The beams interlocked to form a bridge deck. Not sure the reasoning for this and not go for a traditional like they did the first section.

[HangryHippo]

Does the new railroad bridge seem low to anyone else?

[jn1780]

Does the new railroad bridge seem low to anyone else?

It is low, but the final road is going to be lower. You can see the new roadway to the south of the old railway bridge for an idea on how much lower it will be.

[Pete]

They reopened I-235 this early this morning.

I'll have to get out there this week with my drone to see the progress they made.

Still planning for a closure this weekend to remove the old RR bridge.

[Pete]

Just announced that they will not close I-235 this weekend as they still need some time to get the old railroad bridge ready for removal.

Now looks like early April.