• Manitoba loan will help short line serve grain-hauling route (5/8/2009)

• Assistant Vice President Bridges & Structures

10/4/2016

Engineered Rigging: Rapid Bridge Replacement System

Engineered Rigging has launched its new Rapid Bridge Replacement System, which enables railroads and their maintenance contractors to exchange a railroad bridge span in a single day. The system also provides a safer method for bridge replacement than hydraulic cylinder approaches, according to the company.

Manufactured with domestic materials in the United States, Engineered Rigging's 250-ton Rapid Bridge Replacement System features four mechanically engaged lift columns (two at each end), a horizontal lift girder connecting the columns, drivable trolleys that guide the bridge span along the lift girder and transport carts to remove spans and deliver replacements.

Unlike hydraulic cylinder lift methods, the Rapid Bridge Replacement System installs on top of the rails, rather than under, eliminating the need for extensive below-rail modifications to adjacent sections. The enclosed lift girder doubles as a safe passageway for crews crossing the bridge once the span is removed.

Crews construct the modular system on a nearby spur so rail service is not interrupted during set-up. The system assembles in three to four shifts, ships on four or five legal flatbed trailers and requires no special permits, company officials said.

"Depending on the number of spans, railroads can safely and efficiently replace a complete bridge in days rather than months," added Bogdan Gaita, vice president of Engineered Rigging.

This mechanically engaged lift system operates without cable drums or strands, which can fail, or hydraulics, which can leak. Its self-locking lift columns result in synchronized lifting and positive mechanical engagement. Even during a power outage, the lift columns remain stable. Plus, the system's remote operation enables crews to control lifting and transport from a safe distance.

Engineered Rigging's Rapid Bridge Replacement System features 250-ton lifting capacity and can replace most railroad bridge spans. Its components include:

    •    four 30-foot lift columns,
    •    two lift column connector beams,
    •    a central span box girder,
    •    two adjustable ladders,
    •    two trolleys and drive systems,
    •    lift system transport carts,
    •    bridge section transport carts, and
    •    a synchronized control system with power unit

A video demonstration of the Rapid Bridge Replacement System is available at this link.