GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[steveintoronto]

Great shots Drum! I'm now wondering if I'm being too sure that the two bridge sections were lifted in intact, and not assembled en-situ. It's unlikely, as it would have entailed at least a week's worth of time, and be very noisy, as the nut drivers would sound like jack-hammers to the surrounding community (medium to high urban density) resonating on the metal bridge plates.

Someone somewhere has a fascinating story on this. My belief that the bridge is in a staged position grows stronger with time. It still begs the question of how they are going to move it into final position, and how much of the trail bridge walkway struts must be removed to clear it. I'd love to run out into the middle of Bloor to measure the offset distance of the present pillar to the ostensible new position, doing it by eye from the sidewalk or from above is can be very misleading, but Bloor is not the most relaxed of places to allow doing that.

On the Queen Subway (underpass) I can still find nothing on-line, but can clearly see from pics that of the three CP bridges, one is newer, a few decades old. If I remember the events correctly, there were two bridges extant, and to get a third into CP's space available, (as demanded by CP of GO, and paid for too) it was deemed 'absolutely necessary', and so the extant two were jacked to the west to make space, even with westernmost bridge hosting the siding that was later ripped up. The siding was admittedly in poor shape, and served many of the industries that abutted the west side of CP's main. Much of the time, it stored empty wagons.

Edit to Add: Some points that Drum's pics allow from intense study:
The railing is intact on the south side. (Note the shadow to tell that the railing is intact to the left of the pic) In later pics, one upper section is broken. That must have happened either moving the bridge sections in place, or material to build them if built en-situ.

You can see where the worker is climbing on the ladder where the gangwalk railing and/or railing support struts of the new bridge have been removed. Since the steel superstructure of the building is welded, I suspect that crew is the one that cut the handrail by torch. Simpletons...In all fairness, it is possible the bolts were locked with resin.

The lower pic is of the western portion of the new station, and the duct attached to the older bridge clearly shows. It is possible that the support pillars were replaced during refurbishment for some of the older bridges. If they did use the originals, they cleaned them up very well to the point of looking new.

 

[crs1026]

Drum's photos appear to show that a notch was cut in the south retaining wall and the new span fits in the notch. If I am correct in that, then the bridge placement was the final placement and not a staging or interim placement.

FWIW there were a number of closures during construction when the Weston line was shut down completely for a weekend for major work tasks like installing or shifting bridge spans. My dusty memory recalls road closures at Bloor specifically. At the time I didn't take note of what work was done in these, but the community notices from the GTS project may be floating around on the web somewhere.

We are well into speculation here, so perhaps further analysis is futile....but it's one to watch if new work is tendered for the new track.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

Drum's photos appear to show that a notch was cut in the south retaining wall and the new span fits in the notch.
- Paul

Yeah, I noticed that too, and thought same, until realizing that the handrail is intact across the top of it. The concrete may have been crumbling at that point, I'm passing by there in twenty minutes and will check if it's a patch or added in section, but I suspect the former due to the railings. Consider this: That would have had to have been patched whether it is the final position for the bridge or not.

We are well into speculation here, so perhaps further analysis is futile

lol...actually we've done very well I think, and hats off to Drum's pics, it proves how much photos can tell a story, and I'm in envy of his and others' brilliant pics that show so much detail.

Seventy years ago, they would have drafted us into the military intel corps!

Edit: Re-reading, I see Paul stated the "south" wall. Same appears on north. It's a good question! Just headed out door now, will take a close look. I missed my tap-off taking Big Black Lab downtown and back yesterday on UPX, I was busy craning my neck to see what's-what, and being distracted, walked out of the north exit and forgot to tap.

I can't face grovelling on the phone to beg for forgiveness right now, leave it until later. Ostensibly since Presto card checked on train, I'll have a case for leniency.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Worst case scenario guys, if this bridge at Bloor or the station itself needs to be reworked, we can flag it for the Auditor General. This past report will have a follow-up review two years from now, and if Metrolinx still has contractors royally screwing things up...

 

[raptor]

Worst case scenario guys, if this bridge at Bloor or the station itself needs to be reworked, we can flag it for the Auditor General. This past report will have a follow-up review two years from now, and if Metrolinx still has contractors royally screwing things up...

In reality, what would this change?

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

In reality, what would this change?

Depends on how much traction it gets in the media and with the general public. Also depends on who forms the next government.

 

[drum118]

If you look at the north view shot, you see scaffolding installed to notch the north retaining wall like the south. They will support the end of the beams.

From what I recall, the railing at the north end was never completed due to construction when install. Things can be a blur at time as well forgetting things when you do so many site work as well photographing over 100 others each year. I was looking at some off line photos last night and don't have a clue what project some are for. When I check my on line with the photo number, it can't be found and may used a different number at the time or never got uploaded. Then it could be part of the missing batch that have been removed with Flickr saying not on our end.

I need to check the centre support, but I don't think you can shift the current bridge to the east to gain clearance. If it has to be shifted, it will mean the Railpath bridge will have to be moved as well having new centre support columns.

 

[crs1026]

In reality, what would this change?

If you don't have transparency, you don't have accountability. If you don't have accountability, there is nothing requiring people to own up to mistakes. Sensationalised A-G or media stories that lead to public floggings never helps, but leaving errors unconfessed is worse. The taxpayer needs to be in the room for this kind of stuff, and the bureaucracy needs to know that if they don't meet standards then there will be consequences.

It's probably a lot of work to find out how this came about.....memories may be short, people may have moved on to other projects, and if there were multiple designers or subcontractors, the fingerpointing will be endless. Nevertheless, just glossing over an "oops" is not good if we want to have public trust in the people who are handed big packets of taxpayer money to spend.

Again, we are less than 100% confident that this is an "oops" - but it sure looks like one from trackside.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

If you look at the north view shot, you see scaffolding installed to notch the north retaining wall like the south. They will support the end of the beams.

Just got back in from a fact-finding mission with Big Black Lab that included walking a loop down to Queen and Dufferin and back as close to the east side of the tracks as possible through the back streets. (He's asleep now, I'm just getting warmed up! Mind you he ran for a good half hour at Sorauren off-leash park).

The "notch". It's not a notch, at either end. It's the back drop to the *sill* on which the bridge beams sit (with saddles/pads, of course). And the sill has been re-established right over to the railpath bridge with very dense high-impact concrete, both sides.

From what I recall, the railing at the north end was never completed due to construction when install.

Your own photos that I may have posted above show it to be complete and intact before the building was started. You can tell from how the removed parts are left lying on the span deck as to when the end portion of the new bridge railing and and two support struts were removed. (and you can bet your metal-craft booties that the bridge company was livid about that, Again, I can't overemphasize what a magnificent structure that is, in simplicity and execution of design. Built like an aircraft carrier deck)

I need to check the centre support, but I don't think you can shift the current bridge to the east to gain clearance. If it has to be shifted, it will mean the Railpath bridge will have to be moved as well having new centre support columns.

It can definitely fit, the question is if it can fit without removing the vestiges of the walkway now mostly removed from the trailpath bridge. Photos displayed here prior show this.

Again, we are less than 100% confident that this is an "oops" - but it sure looks like one from trackside.

As the one who raised this as a 'Fug Up' most recently, I have less belief that is the case as details emerge.

If it is...lol...it will certainly make it onto Youtube: "Worst Engineering Disasters on GO since the last one"

I have a number of observations to detail later on the Queen Subway (underpass). My initial comments on CP's three bridges is correct, I'll detail how I can confirm that, and the modified sill structure to allow it, later.

 

[crs1026]

If it matters, the announcement regarding the closure to do this work can be found here

http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/site.../2011-05_MetrolinxBloorBridgeInstallation.pdf

And this has an interesting rendering looking upwards - page 28

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/project...s_West-Bloor_Mobility_Hub_Presentation_EN.pdf

EDiT: Caught in the act

http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/node/1052

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

If it matters, the announcement regarding the closure to do this work can be found here

http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/site.../2011-05_MetrolinxBloorBridgeInstallation.pdf

And this has an interesting rendering looking upwards - page 28

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/project...s_West-Bloor_Mobility_Hub_Presentation_EN.pdf

EDiT: Caught in the act

http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/node/1052

- Paul

Good finds!

West Toronto Railpath and pedestrian access will be
maintained at all times – on one side of the street or
the other – except during the span installation on April
30.

If they craned those spans in within that time frame, they can certainly ease them sideways just as easy, in less time, the only complication being the centre supports. One of the advantages to the span being in two sections is the ease of ability to handle each with a smaller crane with more forgiving latitude of movement. Weekend closure max would do it.

The "mobility hub" was an interesting theory (sarc alert), and the empty plot of land immediately to the north of Crossways is the topic of much conjecture in this neighbourhood, much of it that Metrolinx now owns it, contrary to what is stated in that report )(it may have been acquired later, or before and sold-on with provisos at the time of the report). No shortage of lore as to how certain projects were blocked by the neighbourhood association, which is at least borne out by the Giraffe proposal being stopped on its hooves. Rumour has it same assoc. put the kibosh on a proposed highrise above what is supposed to be the GO bus hub.

Took yet another look just now at the the load pads at the ends of the span(s). I could only get within a few feet above or below, but enough to see that there's two shoes on either end (not counting the split mid-length over the supports), and each shoe is almost half the width of the bridge itself, and is attached to two of the four I-beams each, such that the cushion pad underneath has a very spread load factor on top of the sills. Not only is this something I've never seen before, it makes incredible sense with a four beam structure...*and* it further facilitates laterally moving the span sections on the sill, perhaps even with a nylon mat. Those shoes will act as skid plates (skis) to ease dragging or jacking it across.

One of the removed struts on the new bridge for the walkway railings is missing! One is laying broken on the span deck, the other nowhere to be seen. Methinks they're going to have to call in an engineer to draw up the repair. Rather than reuse the damaged ones from removing them, best to fabricate new ones, and that might be required anyway by safety regs. Not only was the the walkway and handrail totally intact before installation (or done right after), it was painted assembled, as the drip runs through the now empty holes of missing flanges indicate.

The hardware fascinates me, the bolts are flat head flush fit into a countersunk hole. It looks like a stamped recess Torx or Scrulox head (hex of some sort) and something quite modern. Nuts are orthodox with flat washers. I suspect they clamp the nuts and drive the bolt with a power driver. Whether thread locking compound used or not is a good question.

 

[steveintoronto]

Here is a massive SEPTA rail bridge of many sections being moved 20 feet by hydraulic ram jacks:

‘Bridge Slide’: Big Move Comprised of Tiny Movements
Posted on July 21, 2016

Photos show the new bridge span before (above) and after (below) it was moved into final position in the middle of newly-cast concrete pieces. The old bridge span — which was to the right (north) of the new one — was dismantled and lowered to the ground. Using hydraulic rams and threaded steel rods (above), project engineers then moved the deck about 20 feet in order to center it on the supports.

During June and July, working two 12-hour shifts, SEPTA’s Crum Creek Viaduct repairs proceeded apace toward the anticipated completion and reopening of the bridge — and SEPTA rail service west of Swarthmore — in September.

If you make the trek (or send a camera drone) to view the project now, you will see a single concrete deck sitting on new steel girders, supported by four new concrete piers, between two new concrete abutments.

These supports were built under the existing structure of the rail bridge (parallel and to the north of the new structure) which had carried trains across the Crum from the 1980s through June 19, Following removal of that old bridge deck and catenary wires and towers, the new girders and deck sections were moved from the south edge to the center of the piers in a complex hydraulically-assisted process SEPTA called a bridge slide.

The Crum Creek Viaduct team reported on project progress: “The new Crum Creek Viaduct bridge slide began in the morning on Friday, July 8, and was completed on Saturday, July 9. In addition to the new bridge being placed, precast concrete for the pedestrian tunnel were set last week. Webcams are live on the project website— www.crumcreekviaduct.com — where you can also see a time lapse video of the new bridge sliding into place.” If you like big projects, the July 8 footage is required viewing.

http://www.swarthmorean.com/articles/bridge-slide-big-move-comprised-of-tiny-movements/

Here's a Youtube vid of a massive highway bridge being moved laterally on pier supports by rams:

Note the metal plates installed to slide on. Sometimes nylon ones are used for shorter distance. In the case of the Bloor new bridge, if both segments of the new span are wanted to be moved at the same time, the meeting flange of each section can be bolted to each other with a union plate, it appears the tongue flanges at mid-distance above the centre support posts were meant for exactly that reason.

 

[steveintoronto]

New Metrolinx tender on MERX, posted Friday:

CONSTRUCTION OF TRACK TO INSTALLATION ON WESTON
Metrolinx is accepting Tenders for construction for Weston Subdivision Mile 7.2 to Mile 9.3 and Mile 11.5 to Mile 13.5 Track and Grading

If I'm not mistaken, Mile 7.2 of the Weston Sub is around Ray Avenue. So I'm assuming Metrolinx is finally putting in another track here going north (functional track #4)? I know the 401 tunnel has to be rebuilt (being tendered) so this work seems like "everything but that".

Today, we finally see what 'pushed' this, as I think the above announcement, although greatly overdue, took most of us by surprise:

[...]At the same time the premier will outline “hundreds of millions of dollars” in new money annually for municipalities with public transit systems.

“We’re trying to help people get ahead and stay ahead — even a toll of $20 more a week is not affordable for Ontario families,” an official confided.

“The province is indicating that there can’t be a conversation about tolling while other options (for commuters) are unavailable,” the insider said Thursday.

That effectively means tolling Toronto highways is off the table until Tory’s “SmartTrack” regional express rail expansion is up and running around 2023. [...]

https://www.thestar.com/news/queens...ohn-torys-plan-for-tolls-on-dvp-gardiner.html

Which means that Wynne must have made her decision against tolls some weeks back. One has to wonder why it took the toll issue to get them moving on what is well past time to happen anyway? Hopefully this engenders more announcements on the use of this corridor, and using it soon.

 

[innsertnamehere]

tenders like that take months and months of planning. This is just the first of many tenders Metrolinx is planning to put out this year - It almost certainly has nothing to do with tolling plans.

 

[drum118]

Here is a massive SEPTA rail bridge of many sections being moved 20 feet by hydraulic ram jacks:

http://www.swarthmorean.com/articles/bridge-slide-big-move-comprised-of-tiny-movements/

Here's a Youtube vid of a massive highway bridge being moved laterally on pier supports by rams:

Note the metal plates installed to slide on. Sometimes nylon ones are used for shorter distance. In the case of the Bloor new bridge, if both segments of the new span are wanted to be moved at the same time, the meeting flange of each section can be bolted to each other with a union plate, it appears the tongue flanges at mid-distance above the centre support posts were meant for exactly that reason.

Most likely the same method or close to it that was used to move the 4 bridges into place for the West Toronto Diamond Grade Separation.