| Posted by pjflstc on December 18, 2012 | |
Hand me my laptop and calculator. I need to calculate weight dispersion and vertical load distribution, then take it before engineering for approval. Wait we don't have those tools available to us yet and nor do we have an engineer board we have to propose this to before construction begins. OK, let's just build it using what works and maybe even add more reinforcement to it. Lets get it built and the trains rolling over it then off to our next challenge. And it worked. And it continued to work for many years. As an engineer, I would have loved to have worked back then. Even without the tools and knowledge we have today. As knowledge improved over the years, materials were built to "just meet specification" with maybe a 10% fudge fractor, if your lucky. I can assure you this tresstle was built greatly exceeding the loads that were going to be laden upon it. Every effort should be made to keep the remaining tresstles refurbished. Even keep some in use today. It would be a shame to let these articles of craftmanship go to waste.
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I think they used timber just so the design engineers wouldn't have to calculate fatigue factors! Except for lags, carriage bolts, and maybe a fire-break span or two, I don't think there is 100 lbs of steel in the whole thing.
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Interestingly, i was on a camping trip this day in Oscoda, Michigan taking pictures of the Detroit & Mackinac RR. Elvis had passed away just the day before.
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| Posted by Jake B. on December 23, 2012 | |
This is a great picture! I love the framing on all sides from the surrounding tree branches!
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Is that the same trestle used in Emperor of the North?
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