🤣 Funny!
- Thread starter docw1
- Start date
Also posted with that picture:
They have been using that excuse for the single track Onondaga Lake Parkway
railroad bridge owned by CSX that crosses 4 lanes of local traffic for years.
The single track railroad bridge was built over the canal and the canal was filled
in after the railroads caused the end of barge traffic through Syracuse, New York.
This bridge has 10 foot 9 inches of highway clearance and they do not want to
create a deep underpass because of the swampy ground and poor drainage that
would flood an underpass as there would be no way to pump it out.
The folks doing all the wishy washy complaining and offering suggestions cannot
solve the problem because the State of New York and the County of Onondaga
have refused to ban trucks and busses which could easily be done.
Since they will not do this the only real option for the rail line is a lift bridge as it sees
4 round trips to the Canadian border each day.
I explained in great detail that a single span cable lift bridge or a single span hydraulic
draw bridge would be the way to solve this and the best and fastest way to install it is
to shut down the parkway completely to dismantle the bridge and old foundations and
install the new bridge using a heavy crawler crane to lift the old bridge off and set it aside and
then break up the old foundations and use the crane to install new sheet piling and reinforced
concrete to create the new bridge abutments for either a cable lift bridge or a hydraulic powered
drawbridge.
The drawbridge used by Union Pacific in Galveston is an excellent example of this and has been
in use for many years. There is nothing to obstruct the new bridge on either side so a hydraulic
drawbridge or a cable lift bridge would fit in the old bridge location.
If and when the state of New York and CSX come to a decision it will take 2 years to design the bridge
and foundations and at least 4 months of working around the clock to install it.
As the parkway is a county road it is not a primary or secondary state road so the work will not be a priority
unless CSX dismantles the old bridge and installs the new one and demands that the county shut the parkway
down completely.
I am waiting to see if my letter to the editor of the Post Standard gets published.
My extended family is all from the Syracuse area and I know that bridge well!
It has often been the opening line when arriving at my sister's house,
"Well, some moron/idiot/imbecile <insert your favorite here, I'm sure she used it at one time> hit the damned bridge again!
Never had to ask which one.
Feels downright claustrophobic from the Google Street View car!
Ok, not so funny.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
... yep...
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
... the scene still makes me cringe...
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
... hell yeah... 
ReSTored
Site Supporter
Reminds me of a Marlin 336C in 30/30 with a 3 - 9 Bushnell variable scope I owned about 45 years ago. I regret selling that rifle.............
Belisaerio
Ohio Valley Roadway Cervine Assassination Service.
Reminds me of the joke of how to tell what kind of area you live in by sitting in front of your house naked.
- If you're in a rural area, no one can see.
- If you're in the suburbs, someone will call the police.
- If you're in an urban area, everyone will pretend you don't exist.
Ok, not so funny.
Its not an engineering issue, its cheap American tax payers who demand the lowest price on everything, including their taxes.
And, they get what they pay for.
scootac
Will Ride for Food
Uh....I sure as hell don't get a choice of how much tax I pay. If I did.....it would be much less.
Might you be an engineer by any chance?
this was my point exactly.
We don't want to pay anything in, yet we complain about the quality of work we get when we go with the lowest bidder because we can't afford to pay a little more to do the job the right way so it will last.
DJDixon
Site Supporter
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2005
- Messages
- 12
- Bike
- 2020 BMW R1250RT
When I was in the military, there was never time or money to do it right, but there was always time and money to do it over.
Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
My professional experience dealing with government jobs -
We bid to redo a roof and they gave it to the lowest bidder.
When we pointed out that what they were proposing was going to leak and why and where (not in a rude way) this was their reply -
"I don't care, I'm not in the maintenance department!"
He was rewarded for getting it cheap not getting it right.
Needless to say, we never again bid on government work.
IIRC, in Scotland the company that paves the roads have to maintain the roads for a certain period of time.
That changes things a bit!
Over here a company low-balls a bid, does a crappy job, then bids on the repair work and gets it.
Last edited:
A great example I experienced regarding our government's lack of concern about our tax money:My professional experience dealing with government jobs -
We bid to redo a roof and they gave it to the lowest bidder.
When we pointed out that what they were proposing was going to leak and why and where (not in a rude way) this was their reply -
"I don't care, I'm not in the maintenance department!"
He was rewarded for getting it cheap not getting it right.
Needless to say, we never again bid on government work.
IIRC, in Scotland the company that paves the roads have to maintain the roads for a certain period of time.
That changes things a bit!
Over here a company low-ball a bid, do a crappy job, then bid on the repair work and get it.
When I was younger I worked at a large machine shop and manufacturing facility. We received a contract from the local military base to replace all the stainless steel kitchen hoods and other large stainless panels etc. in the bases officers club. It had already been reported that this officers club was being closed and torn down as it was located on top of a cliff overlooking the Monterey Bay. Erosion was undermining the foundation and the base was scheduled to close down as well in the next couple of years. When we asked why this work was still scheduled to be done we received an answer. The project was still on the books to be done and the money allocated so it would proceed as originally planned. That officers club was open less than 90 days after we completed the project. Such a waste of time and money.
Back to funny stuff!!