DL-Pocono Main OOS at Bells Bridge

It is being reported that due to a bridge issue the Pocono Main is OOS at Bells Bridge isolating the Slateford interchange. Bells Bridge is the bridge directly under RT 80 just outside of East Stroudsburg right by the Rock Tenn plant that is visible from RT 80.

There are assumptions of the interchange being moved to Scranton/Taylor via NS 12/13T but nothing concrete reported yet.

Repairs to the bridge are substantially complete and the first train (a DL work train) is scheduled cross the bridge sometime this morning. This will be the first run over the bridge since February 16, 2011. Interchange with NS will be moved back to Slateford in the next few days.

That is the first photo I have seen of the bridge repair. Thanks for posting.

You can see the extensive rot in the crossmember just beyond the gentleman working on the bridge. All I can say is WOW, I am surpised the bridge wasn't de-rated to a very low tonnage upon past inspections.

CV the civil E in NJ

Great picture. But if they really took the picture on Sept 14 as it is dated, I am amazed they got all the steelwork done (as noted that one crossmember still had to come out, and quite a missing ones had to go back in) and the deck and rails relayed, etc, in one week.
JS

The photo was indeed taken on the 14th. The contractor completed steel erection on the 16th, bridge timbers were installed over the weekend, and DL forces reinstalled the rail on Monday and Tuesday. The project was completed on an agressive schedule with crews working long days and weekends to get the bridge back in service.

Great news! Thanks.