Union Pacific to replace century-old Steel Bridge electrical system

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
image description
Union Pacific

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) will soon replace the electrical system on its Portland-based Steel Bridge to improve lift bridge redundancies and enhance electrical system access for bridge maintenance staff.  

UP will keep the lift portion of the bridge in the down position from Jan. 9–18, 2017, while the electrical system maintenance work is underway.

The Class 1 says it worked with the U.S. Coast Guard and other Willamette-River stakeholders to plan the 10-day closure that representatives say will solely affect river traffic, while all other transportation modes across the Steel Bridge are expected to remain in operation during the work.

The railroad says it performs regular inspections to maintain the bridge’s structural integrity. Crews inspect the company’s bridges four times more than highway bridges, representatives say, with inspectors examining each bridge component, looking for cracks or corrosion occurrences in trusses and decking. UP’s bridge inspections also entail detailed examinations above and below the bridge deck.

UP says its bridges are kept safe for the freight and pedestrian traffic they carry through more than 38,000 annual inspections. The railroad says it exceeds federal bridge inspection requirements with a team of nearly 600 bridge maintenance and inspection professionals conducting the safety checks.

The Steel Bridge was built in 1912, according to UP, and the bridge originally carried railroad traffic on the lower deck, with pedestrians, wagons and buggies passing through above on the upper deck.

Tags:

Media