Re: Rathdrum Prairie Changes / UP Branch Torn UP
Author: Bruce Kelly
Date: 02-20-2007 - 07:49

Yeah, that Seltice Way bridge project seems like overkill. Don't know why they didn't just put a pre-cast tunnel there and fill it over. I don't know if the branch was rail-banked; if so, it would make sense that they not build something over the ROW that would prevent future restoration of rail service. My shot of the guys breaking out the speeder at Grand Junction was kind of close up using a wide angle, frame filled with speeder, men, and a bit of the shed. Nothing of the water tower remnants. About the only structural stuff I managed to shoot there in the 80s was the UP section shed and the Grand Junction sign on the BN. Interesting thing about Grand Junction is that the BNSF and UP don't cross at 90-degree angles. Someone with real track maintenance experience can tell me if I'm wrong, but over the years it seems the off angle has led to the diamond shifting out of alignment from time to time. Heavily loaded southbounds on the UP are coming off a decent grade in dynamic approaching the diamond, and it would seem to me that the combined force of weight and resistance would impact the BNSF branch almost broadside and try to equalize by forcing it into a right angle. The result, which has often been visible when you drive past on Pole Line Road, was that the UP track would have an abrubt lateral deviation because the diamond had literally rotated closer to 90-degree angles. Anyway, it was alleviated again late last year by another replacement/repair of the diamond, and for now it looks to be in pretty good alignment.



Subject Written By Date/Time (PST)
  Rathdrum Prairie Changes / UP Branch Torn UP Bruce Kelly 02-17-2007 - 13:56
  Re: Rathdrum Prairie Changes / UP Branch Torn UP Tom Barrett 02-17-2007 - 22:22
  Re: Rathdrum Prairie Changes / UP Branch Torn UP Bruce Kelly 02-20-2007 - 07:49
  Re: Rathdrum Prairie Changes / UP Branch Torn UP Tom Barrett 02-20-2007 - 08:13
  Crossing diamond trivia hepkema 02-20-2007 - 11:11
  Re: Crossing diamond trivia Bruce Kelly 02-20-2007 - 13:17


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