This has been mentioned here before, but it looks like the California PUC will actually start its railroad bridge inspection program soon. Though they are still trying to figure out where all the bridges are, then to figure out where "adverse" effects are most likely to prioritize the work. After all, they only have 2 people to do it (better than the Feds, though - they have 1 for several western states). The article has a couple of random jabs at railroads, of course, that are probably wrong: for instance, the Clear Creek trestle on the Feather River line IMO isn't what causes the line's potential for derailments - it's the steep slopes and unstable geology that fairly often deposit rocks or larger landslides on the tracks.

With only 2 people to do the work and hundreds (or more?) bridges to look at, this won't be a serious inspection program. More like verification of what the railroads are already doing. So I don't expect any vast surprises.

[www.sacbee.com]