Cool, thanks! Glad to see I wasn't the only one who thought of that, hahaha.
Toronto Union Pearson Express | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | MMM Group Limited
Cool, thanks! Glad to see I wasn't the only one who thought of that, hahaha.
drum118
Superstar
Some dates for Sept
jamincan
Active Member
That is amazing. I wonder how much of a premium it is to replace a bridge like that versus normal methods.
Not sure, but it certainly does reduce the length of the delay. It may actually end up being less expensive than the traditional method, because they can build the bridge off to the side without having to stage work to have it done at night, and with a minimum number of lanes in kept operation. That adds a tonne of cost to the labour, because the timeline is extended.
The key to this is having a staging area nearly directly adjacent to the bridge you're replacing.
drum118
Superstar
They were going to this for a T3 bridge in Paris last year. The road was almost on a 45 degree to the T3 bridge to be remove. The bridge was almost completed with I shot on the ground. The road was narrow in the first place and going to widen it.
If you add the cost to setup and tear down for both bridges as well the cost to build it in the air as well removing the old one, far cheaper to do it this way. At the same time, you take into consideration drivers dealing with closures as well rerouting, this will benefit them more.
drum118
Superstar
Do not attend the Weston Toronto Diamond move this weekend.
Sorry to say this, you will not be able to get any shots of the bridge movement plan this weekend at the Diamond as you will be too far away from seeing the action. Good long zoom will get you close, but not enough.
You can get up to the frence at Old West Rd, but not onto Toronto Water Pump land since there are no fences there now as well police are on duty to stop you.
Wait tell September 28 and 29 move of the Old Weston Rd Bridge as it is in front of you and over the twice in length as the Diamond. That move is schedule to be 40 hours compare to the 12 hours for the Diamond.
Was on site today with permission to take photos of the site and the Diamond Bridge is already ballast for the new snap tracks.
They will start to remove Track 2 around 3am and they may get Track 1 before the 5am schedule time. If so, the move will happen sooner than later.
The new flyunder is schedule to go into service in February 2014. Once the Diamond is remove, the silence in the air as CP trains go west/east will be heard for the first time without the click clack sound in about 131 years when the crossing was installed by Ontario & Quebec RR to get to the Lambton Yard in the village of Lambton.
The bridge is 11m X 40m and weight about 900 metric tons.
Photos to follow.
Sorry to say this, you will not be able to get any shots of the bridge movement plan this weekend at the Diamond as you will be too far away from seeing the action. Good long zoom will get you close, but not enough.
You can get up to the frence at Old West Rd, but not onto Toronto Water Pump land since there are no fences there now as well police are on duty to stop you.
Wait tell September 28 and 29 move of the Old Weston Rd Bridge as it is in front of you and over the twice in length as the Diamond. That move is schedule to be 40 hours compare to the 12 hours for the Diamond.
Was on site today with permission to take photos of the site and the Diamond Bridge is already ballast for the new snap tracks.
They will start to remove Track 2 around 3am and they may get Track 1 before the 5am schedule time. If so, the move will happen sooner than later.
The new flyunder is schedule to go into service in February 2014. Once the Diamond is remove, the silence in the air as CP trains go west/east will be heard for the first time without the click clack sound in about 131 years when the crossing was installed by Ontario & Quebec RR to get to the Lambton Yard in the village of Lambton.
The bridge is 11m X 40m and weight about 900 metric tons.
Photos to follow.
drum118
Superstar
Aug 30
Lot more up on site
Lot more up on site
timio
Active Member
From twitter: The bridge is in.
drum118
Superstar
The bridge (deck span) started to move at at 4pm and was 1 foot from final position at 5:15 pm., well ahead of schedule on Sept 1.
The plan call for the bridge to take 2.5 hours to be move and start at 10 am or noon or 1 pm depending who you talked to, but 10am was supposed to be by GO. A number of surprise arose that caused the delay.
The bridge still had 1 foot go when I left and no time as to when that final move would take place, Various test and measurement had to take place first to make sure the span was in the correct position since you can make the adjustment before hand as there is no way to make it after with a 900 metric ton section.
Crews hit the site at 2:30 am to start the work but CP crews didn't show up till 3 am to take track 1 out of service. CP had said there would be only 2 train movement up to 5 am, but 5 trains used the crossing including a CN local switcher. First time I have seen CN do this move to the point the train came down the MacTire sub to North Toronto Sub and back into Lampton. It left about 1.5 hours later by the cut with about 3 time more cars than it drop off.
CP handed off the Diamond a 4:54 am after the last east bound train went through.
Lots of movement on the MacTier Sub as trains were using it to get to/from the Lampton Yard by either backing down the line or backing into the yard. Some of the engine crews were taking photos as they went by.
Plans calls for tracks to be in place by 5 pm today. The gap between the span and the edge of the cut will be back-fill, but only for the CP track area at this time. Rest will happen later on and another change from original plans. That plan call for a short bridge to support CP tracks from the current bridge support to the new span so it would protect the track for the next deck span section. The tracks had wooden material built over them to allow the back-fill and agree with this plan.
Once the current track is move to the new flyunder in Feb, the centre piles will be remove to allow building of the west wall since the centre wall is all ready built. Once that wall is built, the west piles will be remove also.
I noticed rusting has taken place at various locations below the surface with water coming out for the piles. Most were at the tie between the main caissons. Proves that the piling system was not the way to go to get this rust soooo soooon.
Photos will be up in the next day or so as well some videos if I get them transfer. Not transferring for some reason, thou no problem for the photos.
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drum118
Superstar
Over 200 Photos up on site
There are over 200 photos I took for the Deck Span Move up on site.
The flood lights did a number on a number of shots that were scape.
I am near the end in writing an article for this move that will be going up on a website as well into Metrolinx along with the photos and videos. Most of it was written before the move, but need to add the final touches based on what took place, as well the timeline. All the photos will be there and hope all the videos.
A 325 Mobil crane was needed for all the lifting to a point a 350 or 400 would had been better. The lifting of the tunnel protection out of the hole was one of the many surprise that took place. It was found that couple of the sections were bolted together and that connection had to be jack hammer off the section first. Also, the crane need help lifting the section due reach and capacity limit.
The concrete bridge support wouldn't break as plan and had to be jack hammer apart first and the first surprise. This took place at 6:15 am and a wake up call for the neighborhood. The beeing of equipment was more the real wake up call at 4 am, but the neighborhood was well informed of this work before this weekend.
Once the 2nd Deck Span goes in next year, CP will replace the Rails between the 2 subs.
When every the GO Crosstown Line get built, all of CP tracks and sub connection will have to be totally rebuilt and reline as the current position is off set from where the new Deck Span sit even being 1 foot short of final position as shown in the photos below.
A 325 Mobil Crane was used for the lifting.
The contractor provided food and drinks for everyone. White hats out number the worker 2.5:1. At one time, 40 people watching 3 people work as nothing could be done until they got that work done first.
Caught the Milton Train going both ways on Video. For some unknown reasons, can't transfer 17 video from the disk for the Sony camera that has a USB issue using 3 different program including 2 for different cameras. Have no problem with any program for photos transfer, but no luck for video. Even the card read refused to transfer the videos.
Couldn't get shots from the east side since that where all the heavy work and traffic was taking place.
I can answer questions if you have any.
Local Switchers CP 4657 EMD GP40-2 (built 1977) CP 4652 EMD GP40-2 (Built 1977) EX Boston & Maine were busy working Lambton Yard by MacTier Sub to/from The Agincourt Yard moving trains between the yards by the north cut. Some power moves between the yards took place also to keep thing moving.
One foot from final position for the following photos
You can see the protection for the track for the west deck span.
Twin Jack encase one fail for both sides
Another surprise that the shoring had to be cut once to get it down below the deck span before it could be move. a 2nd cut was needed to get down to the working level.
Final section remove with the help of the excavator.
There are over 200 photos I took for the Deck Span Move up on site.
The flood lights did a number on a number of shots that were scape.
I am near the end in writing an article for this move that will be going up on a website as well into Metrolinx along with the photos and videos. Most of it was written before the move, but need to add the final touches based on what took place, as well the timeline. All the photos will be there and hope all the videos.
A 325 Mobil crane was needed for all the lifting to a point a 350 or 400 would had been better. The lifting of the tunnel protection out of the hole was one of the many surprise that took place. It was found that couple of the sections were bolted together and that connection had to be jack hammer off the section first. Also, the crane need help lifting the section due reach and capacity limit.
The concrete bridge support wouldn't break as plan and had to be jack hammer apart first and the first surprise. This took place at 6:15 am and a wake up call for the neighborhood. The beeing of equipment was more the real wake up call at 4 am, but the neighborhood was well informed of this work before this weekend.
Once the 2nd Deck Span goes in next year, CP will replace the Rails between the 2 subs.
When every the GO Crosstown Line get built, all of CP tracks and sub connection will have to be totally rebuilt and reline as the current position is off set from where the new Deck Span sit even being 1 foot short of final position as shown in the photos below.
A 325 Mobil Crane was used for the lifting.
The contractor provided food and drinks for everyone. White hats out number the worker 2.5:1. At one time, 40 people watching 3 people work as nothing could be done until they got that work done first.
Caught the Milton Train going both ways on Video. For some unknown reasons, can't transfer 17 video from the disk for the Sony camera that has a USB issue using 3 different program including 2 for different cameras. Have no problem with any program for photos transfer, but no luck for video. Even the card read refused to transfer the videos.
Couldn't get shots from the east side since that where all the heavy work and traffic was taking place.
I can answer questions if you have any.
Local Switchers CP 4657 EMD GP40-2 (built 1977) CP 4652 EMD GP40-2 (Built 1977) EX Boston & Maine were busy working Lambton Yard by MacTier Sub to/from The Agincourt Yard moving trains between the yards by the north cut. Some power moves between the yards took place also to keep thing moving.
One foot from final position for the following photos
You can see the protection for the track for the west deck span.
Twin Jack encase one fail for both sides
Another surprise that the shoring had to be cut once to get it down below the deck span before it could be move. a 2nd cut was needed to get down to the working level.
Final section remove with the help of the excavator.
EnviroTO
Senior Member
Thanks for the pictures. Were the tracks relaid before you left?
drum118
Superstar
No. They had 18 hours window to do it and depended on when the deck got moved for that final 1 foot as well back fill where the tracks were to go in.
I wanted to be there when the first eastbound train went through to get a video of it, but dead tired after 50 hours of no sleep. That train was setting over in Lampton for a day already.
All the photos are here
Platform 27
Active Member
GO's now posted a time-lapse video.
drum118
Superstar
The cameras were mounted on the fence for both sides as well both ends.
Hipster Duck
Senior Member
Holy crap! Thanks so much for all your dedication and hard work capturing this moment.