Featured Rail Projects
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BNSF Railroad Columbia River Swing Bridge Span Repair
Location: Bonneville-Home Valley, Washington Client: BNSF Start Date: 2018 End Date: 2019 This project includes work on two bridges: 47.0 and 58.8. Bridge 47.0 is a new bridge construction built off-line of original track. Bridge 58.8 is a full replacement of an existing bridge with a new three-span bridge. The steel truss was built in Portland, Oregon and transported by barge up the Columbia River and floated into place under a 36 -hour track curfew window. |
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BNSF Railroad Columbia River Swing Bridge Span Repair
Location: Vancouver, Washington Client: BNSF Start Date: 2014 End Date: 2014 Hamilton was presented with a unique challenge when selected by the BNSF to repair and reinforce the U1 connections of its Columbia River Swing Span Bridge. Over the life of the bridge the continual cycles of opening and closing the swing span had resulted in wear of the U1 pin connection, which in turn caused the ends of the span to sag and prevented the lock from operating correctly. The greatest challenge to the project was access. Hamilton initially planned to conduct the repair with limited short term duration closures. However, given the extreme volume of rail traffic that approach turned out to be too disruptive to the BNSF schedules. Further compounding the challenge was the volume of river traffic which required the bridge to be operable. Consequently, Hamilton offered the alternative of using a top down approach that would allow the bridge to remain in service. Hamilton installed scaffolding, fabricated and erected a mobile crane that was attached to the top of the structure. This eliminated the need to occupy the tracks and therefore allowed the tracks to stay in service during the duration of the repair. Hamilton’s interactive approach and close working relationship with the client resulted in an alternative delivery method that minimized impact and exceeded expectations. |
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BNSF Bridge 24.8 – Fallbridge Subdivision
Location: Camas, Washington Client: BNSF Start Date: 2015 End Date: 2017 Hamilton was contracted for the replacement of an existing BNSF rail trestle that was built in 1911. This complex accelerated bridge construction (ABC) project involved a 202-foot-long through-truss span, two through-plate girder spans, and two 41-foot precast box girder approach spans. Hamilton developed a lateral translation system used for the bridge change-out. The change-out included the complete removal of the old bridge and the installation of a fully assembled new bridge and was successfully completed within a 30-hour period, limiting the overall impact to the BNSF rail network. This project was the winner of the 2017 Best ABC Project Award. |
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UPRR Bridge 662.98 Brooklyn Subdivision, Bridge Replacement
Location: mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon Client: UPRR Start Date: 2013 End Date: 2013 Hamilton replaced a 908-foot steel truss bridge crossing the Willamette River south of Harrisburg, Oregon. All of the work was accomplished using accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques under live rail traffic using bridge slides and vertical jacking. Hamilton played an integral role in designing the temporary work bridges to gain access within the right-of-way and coordinating with the US Coast Guard and Oregon State Marine Board to ensure environmental compliance for all in-water work. Hamilton successfully accomplished the demanding work required in five scheduled 30-hour closures. In total, over the course of three separate contracts, Hamilton successfully replaced the entire 1,600-foot-long structure without impacting rail traffic. |