The contractor’s crew works on replacing a bridge on the Union Pacific mainline Sunday afternoon.
As scheduled, a contractor’s crew replaced the Periwinkle Creek crossing on the Union Pacific Railroad’s mainline in Albany on Sunday.
From what I could see from the Pine Street pedestrian crossing, where I happened to be on a bike ride about 4 p.m., the new bridge including railings had been installed by then. (There was no easy way to get close to the construction site, which is flanked by private property.)
The old timber bridge was being replaced with a concrete one resting on steel pilings. To accomplish this, the railroad did not operate trains on this portion of the line for 20 hours on Sunday. The temporary closure affected six Amtrak passenger trains as well a freights.
For an an earlier story about the planned construction, I had contacted Union Pacific.
Here’s what I got back from Jill Micek, communications manager in UP’s corporate relations department:
“Union Pacific Railroad’s bridge over Periwinkle Creek in Albany, Oregon, is scheduled to be replaced as part of routine maintenance beginning Sunday, Sept. 28. It’s expected to be completed within a few days. The new bridge will feature enhanced fire resiliency. Each of Union Pacific’s more than 16,000 bridges are inspected twice a year for safety purposes.
If you hear the familiar horn blasts as trains approach Albany crossings on Monday morning, you’ll know that the 20-hour pause in mainline traffic is definitely over. (hh)
As usual, thanks for the updates on goings-on with all things “train.”
I think you would have got a better look at the bridge from Cleveland street. That dead ends at the tracks.