Bridge strike prevention: Palmwoods style

[Fares_Fair]

BRIDGE STRIKES IN PALMWOODS SOON TO BE A THING OF THE PAST

Works have started on a new bridge protection system for the rail bridge over the Palmwoods Montville Road, near the Jubilee Drive intersection, located in Palmwoods (near Kolora park, aka duck ponds).

It will consist of reinforced concrete piles drilled 10m into the ground, on each side of the bridge, with a girder - possibly a reinforced concrete beam [t.b.c.] between the pylons, to protect the bridge from eastern side approach impacts.

Works will not disrupt trains travelling across the bridge, and will be occurring at night to minimise traffic impacts.

The Good news is that the bridge will soon be protected from truck strikes.
The Bad news is that they wouldn't be doing this if the rail duplication was going to happen any time soon ... 

[Stillwater]

They will wait until the new girder rusts to dust, then do something. 

[Stillwater]

Does anyone know the status of this work?

[Fares_Fair]

The concrete footings and raised pedestals (approx. 900mm high and guesstimating 600-750mm square) are in place, complete with cast-in holding down bolts for a steel framed structure to be erected.
A concrete pedestal is also located to act as a type of 45 degree strut support for this structure.

Protection is to be provided to the left hand side of each bridge entry lane (from opposing sides).
i.e. given the footing and strut support locations, the protective structure will only span half way (the approaching lane) on each side of the bridge.

[Fares_Fair]

The Palmwoods railway bridge strike protection frames, over the Woombye Montville Road, were completed on Friday night 2 November 2012.

They are impressive steel structures located on the east and west sides of the railway bridge, spanning the approaching lanes.
Steel columns and girders are 900mm wide.

Picture attached (EDIT: viewed from western side)

Edit: Girders and columns 900mm wide.

[somebody]

Much betterer than Allwood St, Indro.

[ozbob]

Yay, finally some commonsense arrives ...  only taken how many years?   

[ozbob]

This is exactly the approach we have been arguing for for years.  This is a good prototype for the rest of the bridges on the network, particularly the bridges on the Ipswich line.

No absolute guarantee but at least it should stop them most times before the actual bridge itself.  Although we did have the classic 'gosh I don't fit' at Goodna - a B trouble stuck under both the rail and and road bridges simultaneously at Bertha St  ....

Nice photograph by the way, might come in very useful ...

[ozbob]

Some bridge strikes in Europe --> here! PDF 1.7MB

Which largely confirms that idiocy is global ..

[Fares_Fair]

Eastern side structure picture attached.

It is certainly very impressive.
Any vehicle will certainly come off second best.

[somebody]

Some bridge strikes in Europe --> here! PDF 1.7MB

Which largely confirms that idiocy is global ..

Page 7 is my favourite.  Assuming the driver actually lived to tell the tale.

What is interesting (and surprising) is that no protection schemes are evident.

[Golliwog]

Eastern side structure picture attached.

It is certainly very impressive.
Any vehicle will certainly come off second best.

Those are definitely some chunky columns and bracing. 

[Set in train]

Yay, finally some commonsense arrives ...  only taken how many years?   

As you would've seen in Melbourne Bob, these structures have been around for so long, many of them are rusting or their yellow paint is peeling. What decade is Queensland in again? World class...

[ozbob]

A truck has hit the protective beams ...  stuck ... no significant rail disruption, the protection has done its job ..

=======================

Twitter

QPS Media Unit ‏@QPSmedia 9m

Traffic hazard: Truck wedged under rail bridge, Est bound lane of Woombye-Palmwoods Rd. Motorists advised to avoid the area. #qldtraffic

[ozbob]

From the Sunshine Coast Daily 5th December 2013 page 7

It's life in the (stuck) fast lane

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

Update ..

==============

Twitter

Jeff Addison ‏@Jeffrey_Addison 1h

Rail bridge maintenance at #Palmwoods. #Rail #bridge protection barrier extended over side road. Ping @Robert_Dow http://t.co/WsLvRFXMbW

[red dragin]

Does this beam appear to work as a deterrent or simply a roof slicer?

Ie does it get hit just as much as the bridge did prior to its installation.

[brissypete]

Something similar has been installed on Annerley Rd covering the entire road on both sides, appears to be concrete though.  Will get some photos next time im down that way.

[ozbob]

^ Yes, steel beams either side of the bridge to stop over size vehicles before the bridges themselves.  Most impressive.  Be great if you can get pics, I went through them the other day but was not able to get pics.

[Gazza]

Never get a chance to get pics but the Muriel avenue beam north of rocklea has been hit at some point and is bent upwards a bit now.

[Fares_Fair]

Does this beam appear to work as a deterrent or simply a roof slicer?

Ie does it get hit just as much as the bridge did prior to its installation.

The main protection frame to the main thoroughfare has been hit a number of times since it was installed.
The signage is still bent from a number of impacts approaching from the western side.

I am unaware of any impacts occurring to the side road section of the bridge, this being a lesser height.
The side road is used during times of flood as it's approx. 600mm higher than the main thoroughfare.

[Gazza]

Wonder why they don't have the bottom edge of the sign aligned with the bottom of the beam so it doesn't overhang and be liable to be bent.

[red dragin]

Does this beam appear to work as a deterrent or simply a roof slicer?

Ie does it get hit just as much as the bridge did prior to its installation.

The main protection frame to the main thoroughfare has been hit a number of times since it was installed.
The signage is still bent from a number of impacts approaching from the western side.

I am unaware of any impacts occurring to the side road section of the bridge, this being a lesser height.
The side road is used during times of flood as it's approx. 600mm higher than the main thoroughfare.

Thanks - confirms that it's inept drivers who don't know/care rather than not trusting the signs ("the sign says 4.2 but it's really 4.3, they tell you it's lower to cover themselves")

[Fares_Fair]

Sorry red dragin, I was talking about the Palmwoods bridge, it's 3.9m over the main thoroughfare.

[red dragin]

Sorry. Just plucked a random number out of the air, nothing specific 

[ozflier]

I would just  like to think that the driver involved or trucking company are made to reimburse the costs of repairs to the bridge plus make some recompense for the delays and disruptions caused to rail travellers.

[Stillwater]

Understand there was a bridge strike at Palmwoods in the past couple of days, but the protection gear prevented any damage to the bridge superstructure proper.

[ozbob]

Understand there was a bridge strike at Palmwoods in the past couple of days, but the protection gear prevented any damage to the bridge superstructure proper.

Sure was --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1862.msg153549#msg153549

Asked Queensland Rail what was going on, no response ..

[Stillwater]

High time there was an audit of all the bridges susceptible to bridge strike - and a concerted program of works to install protective superstructure, starting with the most high-risk ones.  Palmwoods is a classic.  Then again, if Mr Wellington convinces the new state government that the proposed Palmwoods track realignment and duplication should proceed ......

Even if there is no money for protective barriers, surely there must be a bit of money for a couple of advertisements in 'Big Rigs' or 'Trucking Life' magazine (truckie publications), with a list of the worst bridges, and their clearances.  Message: 'Don't let this happen to you' ... picture of truck wedged under bridge with a list of the bridges and their clearance heights.

[ozbob]

Bertha St Goodna, series of bridges, road over road, rail over road.  Until recently two rail over road bridges, the bridge that was part of a loop at Goodna was removed a while back  This has been a prime bridge strike location. A special moment was the day a B trouble hit both the rail and road bridges virtually simultaneously, the driver absconded from the location after the grief.  Was caught up with eventually.

So here is the low cost solution. 

Recent addition of tell tails ..  I recall there has been a strike since their installation.  Rail bridge is really still quite exposed. It would not take much to cause a serious issue with the rail bridge.  The road structure is massive concrete and has a higher clearance.  The rail bridge needs protective beams.









Photographs R Dow 29th October 2014