Croton River Bridge Rehab

I understand that TK 4 is out of service over the Croton River Bridge so that the super structure can be replaced. As part of the project TK 4 has reportedly been swing over to tie into TK 2 at the north end of CP 33 (is this correct?) If I understand the situation correctly, TK 2 would be severed at 33 so that a train on that track would need to cross over to TK 1 to cross the bridge. If my understanding of the TK 2 situation is correct, I wonder if there has been congestion in Croton-Harmon station as a result of these changes?

Andy
Jacksonville, FL

From what I've heard only the track 4 span is being replaced at this time. Never heard anything about the other tracks. A new switch is being (or perhaps at this point has been, I haven't been to Harmon in a few weeks) installed inside CP 33 north of the bridge to facilitate movement from track 4 to 2 southward. Essentially replacing the switch that exists inside CP 33 now just south of the bridge. Without this switch it would be impossible to get equipment out of Harmon yard through CP 33. I was told the logistics of all the changes to normal track assignments out of Croton-Harmon station but can't remember exactly. Basically track 4 would be a pocket track between CP 34 and the bridge until all renovations are complete.

As far as the bridge itself tracks 1 and 2 share the middle span. The spans for tracks 4 and 3 are separate from all the others. Again, I've only heard of work being done to track 4 span at this time.

RearOfSignal wrote:From what I've heard only the track 4 span is being replaced at this time. Never heard anything about the other tracks. A new switch is being (or perhaps at this point has been, I haven't been to Harmon in a few weeks) installed inside CP 33 north of the bridge to facilitate movement from track 4 to 2 southward. Essentially replacing the switch that exists inside CP 33 now just south of the bridge. Without this switch it would be impossible to get equipment out of Harmon yard through CP 33. I was told the logistics of all the changes to normal track assignments out of Croton-Harmon station but can't remember exactly. Basically track 4 would be a pocket track between CP 34 and the bridge until all renovations are complete.

As far as the bridge itself tracks 1 and 2 share the middle span. The spans for tracks 4 and 3 are separate from all the others. Again, I've only heard of work being done to track 4 span at this time.

Currently track 4 is still in service.

The outage is scheduled for just the span on track 4.
Ability to get into the yard and all four tracks in the station and south of CP33 will be maintained.
Track 4 will be swung to connect to the new switch just north or the CR bridge

Went up the Hudson line in September of 2012
Trains where single tracked from Osining to Croton-Harmon station
And there were people working on bridge

This was an article back in March: ProgressiveRailroading

Metro-North to repair bridge in southern New York

The railroad will replace one of the bridge's four tracks. The two bridge's concrete abutments and three piers, which were rehabilitated in the 1990s, are in good shape, Metro-North officials said in a prepared statement.

The track is carried by four spans, each 100 feet long. The track will be taken out of service in mid-June, when each span will be demolished, hoisted onto a barge, removed and replaced on new concrete pedestals atop the existing piers, railroad officials said.

New spans, each weighing about 220 tons, will be floated to the site during high tide to minimize disturbing the river bottom, then hoisted into place by crane.

I'll have to look for bridge
Hope its a smooth ride next time I go up Hudson line

fl9m2004 wrote:I'll have to look for bridge
Hope its a smooth ride next time I go up Hudson line

Don't get your hopes up. Just going through the interlocking is enough to knock you around at times. Replacing the bridge won't fix that.

I'm amazed at how conditioned I've become over the years that I always know its time to wake up for my stop when we go over the rough patch that is the Croton River railroad trestle.

In a slightly related story, I'm also one of the few people to ever get to see the underside close-up.
There was a fire department water rescue attempt of some common-sense lacking individuals who tried to white-water raft the Croton River during Hurricane Irene, with myself and 2 other firefighters in our smaller fire rescue boat. Only a minute after launching into the Croton River our rescue boat's motor died, causing us to collide with the Track 3 side of the bridge and capsize. I and another firefighter ended up hanging onto the underside of Track 3 for a few minutes, before the current eventually wore us out and we had to let go. All 3 Croton FD members were able to eventually swim to safety, but one of the rafters didn't survive.
Lesson for the public: don't go rafting during Hurricanes.
Lesson for me: Don't try rescuing people by getting in a boat during a hurricane, swimming fully dressed with boots on isn't fun.

It's official, as of 1202 this morning, track 4 is out of service over the Croton River Bridge. Additionally, the switch from 2 to 4 north of the bridge is in service.