Norfolk Southern Announces Bridge Replacement in Richmond, Ind.

Image courtesy of Norfolk Southern

RICHMOND, Ind. –– Norfolk Southern last week announced the completion of a new bridge that's part of one of the railroad's important freight corridors.

Norfolk Southern engineering teams replaced a 308-foot long, double-track bridge over the East Fork Whitewater River over the Fourth of July weekend. The teams worked in a single outage window, which the railroad says was tightly managed to minimize disruption.

The new bridge is a ballast deck beam span that includes two 140-foot sections. NS notes that ballasted-deck bridges “provide a more consistent track surface and can simplify maintenance, helping support safe and efficient rail operations over time.”

This line, referred to as the CF Line, is a key part of the railroad’s Midwest network, carrying a variety of freight, including intermodal freight, agricultural products, and metals.

Nick Bayer, an NS Regional Engineer Structures, said, “This project showed what it takes to deliver for the railroad at a high level, from early planning to final installation. The new structure gives this corridor the reliability our operations depend on every day.”

Image courtesy Norfolk Southern

NS reports that months of planning and coordination went into the bridge replacement. Moreover, the road reported that “Crews completed the entire bridge replacement within a single 33-hour outage window, executing a carefully sequenced plan that included removing existing spans, installing new components, placing track and ballast, and returning the corridor to operation.”

A 1,768-ton crane was used to lift major sections, with each lift demanding great care and coordination among the engineering teams.

Ruth Brown, NS’s chief engineer, Bridges & Structures, said, “It was a full team effort from planning through execution, and every person involved played a critical role in delivering a safe, high-quality outcome.”

Below is a video of major parts of the process, courtesy of Norfolk Southern.