john Wrote:
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> Whamo Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Seeing comments that it was a rickety bridge
> prior
> > to failure. If so, why did the operator push
> > their luck and endanger people?
> The railroad is responsible for annual bridge
> inspections. Many operators contract out to
> bridge engineers who do the bridge inspections.
> The bridges are rated and if deemed unsafe taken
> out of service. It's not about pushing luck or
> endangering people. Usually timber bridges show
> signs of failure, settling ,out of level, out of
> alignment.Seldom do they suddenly fail.
> Video shows the bridge had been fire damaged.This
> may have weakened the structure without showing
> the usual signs. One aspect of short lines taking
> over trackage from class 1's is deferred
> maintenance. The Cal Northern lines as an
> example began as class 2 and class 3 track . They
> end up being mostly class 1 ten mile an hour track
> without the deep pockets to rebuild bridges and
> tunnels.

I did a little digging and found this ODOT list, but nothing on if this project was actually funded.

ODOT rail funding improvements list including PW bridges.