KEY FACTS

PROJECT SUMMARY:

Perform demolition and construction of a 168-foot railroad bridge in 12 hours.

SCHEDULE MET:

Substantial planning, advance site work, pre-staging and phase overlapping were critical to meeting this challenging schedule.

RESULTS:

Hulcher’s railroad training and experience allowed its crews to work seamlessly with railroad personnel, which was critical for meeting the deadline.

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Home » Featured Projects » Case Studies » Track Maintenance / Maintenance of Way / Engineering Services » Case Study - Hulcher Performs Bridge Demolition and Construction of 168-foot Railroad Bridge in One Day

HULCHER CASE STUDY

Hulcher Performs 168-foot Railroad Bridge Demolition and Construction in One Day

SCOPE

The railroad needed to have a 168-foot bridge demolished and reconstructed. Typically this process would render the bridge and stretch of track unusable for two to three days.

Hulcher recommended a new approach to railroad bridge demolition and construction that, if it worked, would see the job completed in a single 12-hour window. This would return the stretch of track to full operation in less than half the normally allotted time.

SOLUTION

Hulcher deployed several pieces of equipment to complete this project, including two sidebooms, two excavators, a crane, a track loader, a dozer, light plants and a grapple truck.

Hulcher used one crane for positioning each concrete girder as two sidebooms delivered the next girder. Overlapping the delivery and placement of the girders while sitework continued dramatically compressed the railroad bridge demolition and construction schedule. Meeting this challenge required substantial preparations. Hulcher crews first cleared trees and brush to create a road and large working area. They then laid out a timber mat pad for the crane to work from, pre-staged the bridge girders and crane and mobilized in the equipment for the job.

As the 12-hour window began, crews rigged a series of cables and pulleys on the bridge, attached to two sidebooms and a trackloader. Excavators strategically broke the pilings under the bridge, weakening the old structure so the sidebooms and trackloader could pull the entire bridge over. The excavators, trackloader and a dozer then removed the bridge debris. Demolition was completed in only two hours.

Construction began at one end of the bridge as the clearing continued at the other. As the crane positioned each concrete girder, two sidebooms delivered the next girder to be placed. Overlapping the girders’ delivery and placement with sitework dramatically compressed the schedule. After the first girders had been installed, the railroad’s crane began installing track panel, further compressing the schedule.

In the days following the bridge's construction, Hulcher’s excavators and grapple truck loaded the old bridge debris into gondola cars to clean the work area and finish the project.

OUTCOME

Hulcher’s part of the bridge construction was complete in less than six hours. This allowed the railroad to complete installation of the final track panels and ballast during the 12-hour window. Hulcher’s new approach to replacing the bridge worked flawlessly, and their professional crew members were able to work seamlessly with the railroad’s crews to complete this challenging project smoothly and efficiently.

The railroad was extremely happy with the speed and quality of Hulcher’s work and plans to have Hulcher perform several more railroad bridge demolition and construction projects in this manner.

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PHOTOS OF THE RAILROAD BRIDGE DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Hulcher laid out a large timber mat pad for the crane to work from as part of the preparations for this railroad bridge demolition and construction project.

Excavator weakens sections of the old bridge so it can be pulled down during the demolition phase of this railroad bridge demolition and construction project. A light plant illuminates the work area, allowing crews to start the project well before dawn.

Excavators weaken sections of the old bridge so it can be pulled down during the demolition phase of this railroad bridge demolition and construction project.

The bridge collapses during the demolition phase of this railroad bridge demolition and construction project. Cables connected to sidebooms and a track loader pull the bridge down in only two hours instead of the typical 12 hours required for traditional bridge demolition.

The bridge collapses during the demolition phase of this railroad bridge demolition and construction project.

As soon as the bridge is demolished, excavators, a dozer and a track loader move in to remove the debris during this railroad bridge demolition and construction project.

Once the bridge is demolished, excavators can prepare the ground at both ends of the bridge for the new girders during this railroad bridge demolition and construction project.

The crane begins to position the first concrete girder as two sidebooms deliver the next girder and the excavator prepares the soil at the end of the bridge. Overlapping the delivery and placement of the girders while sitework continued dramatically compressed the railroad bridge demolition and construction schedule.

The crane positions the first concrete girder during this railroad bridge demolition and construction project.

The crane positions the second concrete girder as two sidebooms deliver the next girder to be placed. Overlapping the delivery and placement of the girders dramatically compressed the railroad bridge demolition and construction schedule.

The crane positions the seventh concrete girder while a hi-rail crane installs track panel. Overlapping the placement of girders and installation of track panel dramatically compressed the railroad bridge demolition and construction schedule.

All concrete girders are in place during this railroad bridge demolition and construction project. The bridge is ready for the rest of the track panel to be installed and ballast to be placed.

Completed railroad bridge demolition and construction project after all the debris has been loaded to gondola cars for disposal. Demolition and construction for this project was completed within a 12 hour window, rather than in two to three days as is typical for a bridge demolition and construction.

Hulcher performed a railroad bridge demolition and construction in one day, less than half the usual time for this job