Bridging the Gap: FRA Isssues a Safety Advisory to 'Explain and Amplify' Bridge-Inspection Requirements

This article describes the extra care short lines and regional railroads have been asked to take in investigating reported problems on bridges since the collapse of the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Class 1 railroads operate on the vast majority of the country’s 100,000-plus bridges, and BNSF Railway employs 70 bridge inspectors to check 314 miles of bridges each year. But short lines and regional railroads are responsible for some 17,000 bridges, and a review of safety surveys by the U.S. General Accounting Office, was “disturbing.” The author cites examples of incidents on bridge tracks that were handled improperly, as well as properly. The article also lists the Federal Railroad Administration’s five key recommendations in its Safety Advisory on the subject of bridge safety.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/6163876
• Authors:
  • Kube, Kathi
• Publication Date: 2007-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: pp 24-25
• Serial:
  • Trains
  • Volume: 67
  • Issue Number: 12
  • Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Company
  • ISSN: 0041-0934
  • Serial URL: http://trainsmag.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Inspection; Inventory; Railroad bridges; Railroad safety
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01083325
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 31 2007 7:38AM