Rail cars loaded with ties were parked Thursday along an old track off the side of the Albany yard.
If you’re in Albany, go down to the riverfront and take a look at the work going on at a brisk pace along the Water Avenue railroad track.
Thursday’s bike ride took me there, as usual, and it looked to me as though the crews of Stacy Witbeck, the Portland-based contractors for Portland & Western Railroad, were making good progress.
Crossings are being improved, closed or modified along the line. The city is paying Portland & Western about $3.4 million for that work.
I stopped to take a look at a stack of concrete crossing panels. Massive items, these things are.
Some of them weigh 1,800 pounds each, others nearly twice as much at 3,400 pounds. At least that’s what it says on the sides of the panels.
Looks like the new crossings on this line, connecting the street on the south side with the Dave Clark Path and properties on the riverside, are going to last a while.
Thursday’s ride took me to another part of our rail network, this one at the southeast end of the Albany yard. Here’s the video:
Somebody had asked me about the big “black things” he could see when driving east on Ninth Avenue coming off the overpass.
They are, of course, stacks of new ties stored there for use either on the waterfront or some project to rejuvenate the rail lines elsewhere on the system. (hh)
New ties stored on railroad land off Ninth Avenue west of Hill Street on Thursday.
Oh, yes, we taxpayers are fleeced for Water Avenue gentrification. In the little minds of the City Council, it will soon be the destination of throngs of people. The Portland and Western Railroad made out ok with 3.4 million of taxpayer’s money. Thanks for the pictures, Hasso.