Friday, December 9, 2016

1894,1907+2018 BNSF/Santa Fe Trestle near Media, IL

(Bridge Hunter, no Historic Bridges, Satellite)
 
Steven J. Brown posted
Santa Fe 3751 is at Media, Illinois - September 9, 1992.

Steven J. Brown shared
I chased it. Rainy day. I live 4 hours away still wet when I got home

Bobby Carlson posted
News to some old news to others, I learned today the Media Ill. Trestle is to be replaced in the spring
Update:
Bill Kalkman posted
C44-9Ws 748, 4991, 4795, 4654 & 706 are E/B on the Chillicothe Sub, crossing Ellison Creek. 1:05PM on 4-13-01 in Media, IL.

Satellite while construction was in progress

Will Pagel's posting shows the beginning of some construction activity.

Carter Solberg's posting shows some piers beginning to appear.

John Carson posted six photos with the comment:
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD: All the live long day on Friday, May 5th, 2017. Work continues on the replacement of the iconic Ellison Creek steel trestle on the AT&SF (Now BNSF), Northeast of Media Il. This has been a favorite spot for rail photographers over the years. Will be sad to see it go. Some photos of the progress and equipment being used. Enjoy! JCC
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John Carson added five photos with the comment:
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD, PART TWO! Work is continuing on the bridge for the replacement of the historic AT&SF Media Illinois, steel trestle over Ellison Creek. This is just East of Media, in Henderson County Il. The reinforced cast concrete piers are taking shape. Now on the BNSF Transcon this trestle has been the site of many great railroad photographs over the years. EnJoY!

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John Carson posted nine photos with the comment:
THEY'VE BEEN WORKIN' ON THE RAILROAD: Part 4It Appears that The Piers are In Place! Work continues today on the replacement bridge at the famed Ellison Creek Steel Trestle. This is on the old AT&SF main line, now the BNSF Chillicothe Sub. The trestle is just east of Media Illinois., and has been a prime location for Railroad Photographers. The concrete piers are almost completed, and today I caught them moving in the side plates for the bridge structure. Enjoy! JCC
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Thomas Anderson posted
Media improvements continue
Nikki Burgess posted
This isn't a branch line, but the bridge has been abandoned and replaced since I took this. This is or was the Ellis Creek Viaduct on the Santa Fe in western Illinois. The train is the Southwest Chief. Illinois is home to very few largish bridges, and this was one of them. The viaduct was replaced with a modern structure last summer.
Marvin McGill Jr. As far as I know they are still working on it. I was there a month in a half ago they almost had the pile ons done the sides were near but I heard it was going to be dont by late dec.


John Carson added several photos with the comment:
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD! Work continues on the new bridge at the former AT&SF trestle (now BNSF) over Ellison Creek, East of Media Illinois in Henderson County. This iconic trestle has been the subject of many great Santa Fe Photos over the years. The Piers have all been completed, and the parts of the deck are being errected on either side of the existing trestle. Interesting construction site! EnJoY! John Carson
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Jeremy J Schrader posted
Beginning April 7 at 0600 for 28 consecutive hours, the Chilli Sub will be closed between Stronghurst and Smithshire for the Media bridge cutover, according to BNSF.


MKT okle Flickr Photo, assembling more cranes for the changeover during Easter weekend, 2018. (source)

Hal collins shared another MKT okle Flickr Photo  There are quite a few comments about operations during the outage. Basically, all trains except Z9 (very high priority intermodal) and Amtak will be parked while the Z9 and Amtrak trains use a detour route. And now they are planning on an April 7 outage.

Josh Fullbright posted 
I think 28hrs might not be enough, only the main span section of the old bridge has been removed, and 1 section of the new bridge has been slid into place.
Most of the new bridge is pre positioned here on the north side. 630pm
Randy Funk Plus they are putting in a new bridge across the Grand River too.
John Carson commented on Josh's posting
Dedicated Documenter Josh Fullbright in action.


John Carson posted eight photos with the comment:
MAJOR WORK HALTED FOR NOW: April 8th, 2018. After working through the night, the major construction at the Ellison Creek bridge project near Media Il is at a pause. Overnight, they have slid both sections of the center span into place and fastened them together, but no new staging or removal is happening today. They have set the tracks on the new section and it is tied in with the old sections. I do not know if this was the construction plan, the window of opportunity expired, the need to run trains, or the predicted weather. I'll be waiting to take more photo's when work resumes!
INTERESTING COMPARISON: Look at the massiveness of the concrete piers as compared with the rather spindly legs of the old trestle. Also look at the cross section of the old frail boxed trusses of the old deck, as compared with the cross section of the bulked up new decks! Structural engineering has come a long way in the 100+ years. Click to enlarge pictures. EnJoY! JCC

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Look at the cross section of the old frail boxed trusses of the old deck, as compared with the cross section of the bulked up new decks! Structural engineering has come a long way in the 100+ years.
Marvin McGill Jr. I know it wont it will have that fence in front to block the view. Is this today if it is they muct just have the 1 track up and running they have a 10mph there a lot of trains still in the yard here in Fort Madison ia. but some have left here.
Ron Hatch Similar techniques were used replacing the Big Bureau Creek bridge near Princeton on the Mendota Sub.
John Carson Ron Hatch: Yes they did. Also the same for the piers on the Burlington Mississippi River Bridge. Cored out casement to bedrock, with an inserted rebar matrix core, filled with concrete. Same engineering company.

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Look at the cross section of the old frail boxed trusses of the old deck, as compared with the cross section of the bulked up new decks! Structural engineering has come a long way in the 100+ years

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North side of bridge. Center section in place and rails tied in to old structure. Notice new spans staged for placement.

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North side of bridge. Center deck in place. Notice the end decks staged and ready to be slid into place.

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John Carson posted 19 photos with the comment:
THEY'VE REALLY, REALLY BEEN WORKIN' ON THE RAILROAD. All day and night too. Yesterday, Saturday April 7th, 2018 was the scheduled start of the cut over for the new Ellison Creek Bridge. This is on the BNSF Railway Chillicothe Subdivision, (former AT&SF) just east of Media Il. in Henderson County. A lot of work to be done in a short time span, and a very big project. You real don't realize how frail and "Crispy" the old bridge was until they started taking it down in hunks. All the new north side spans are pre-staged in place. Click on photos to enlarge. Enjoy!

Sam Bailey Three bridges being replaced this weekend between Media and Bosworth. Track Supervisor just told me the one at Grand River is projected to be open around 4pm. History of this kind of project tells me around 10pm though.
Tracy Vassar still not open, now not till 6 or 7 am Monday morning Sam.
Sam Bailey Tracy Vassar what about bridge at Media.
Tracy Vassar It's up and running. Only the Grand is being a pain in the ass!


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Pam Olson commented on John's posting
Before pic. What an improvement
John Carson posted five photos with the comment:
MORE WORKIN' ON THE RAILROAD! A Little photographic update on this week's work on the BNSF Ellison Creek Bridge near Media Il., in Henderson County. Photos taken at approximately 5:00PM on Saturday, 04/14/2018. Construction crews apparently took advantage of this past week's good weather and made great progress. All but one of the south side deck spans have been lifted and staged on the piers. The old steel trestle piers have been totally removed from under the center span. The old, removed deck sections and piers have been trucked away. One new deck span left to stage. I imagine it will not be long until they scheduled another window to complete the installation of the other spans. EnJoY! John Carson
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Sam Bailey Mid section looks out of place. Is that the only piece kept in place?
Josh Fullbright The main span section is the only new piece in place, the others you see are actually sitting just beside the old bridge.
JR Keller posted three photos with the comment: "Just a few 2250s on the job." Unfortunately, he doesn't say where, but it sure looks like the span replacement job for this bridge.

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JR Keller posted three photos with the comment: "Getting after it with red [Manitowoc] iron."
Dennis DeBruler This looks like the BNSF Media Trestle replacement. Did they get it done?

JR Keller Just one side pushed in. Doing other side in a week or so.

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John Carson posted seven photos with the comment:
May 6th UPDATE! THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THE RAILROAD! More work completed on the Ellison Creek Bridge on the BNSF Chillicothe Sub, near Media Il. Great weather has made the difference. The south side deck spans have been set in place and are now in use! The south half of the old bridge decking has been cut and removed, in order for this to be completed. This leaves the north half of the old bridge deck still in place for now. The new north side spans are still staged up on the piers. The cranes have been staged up on the decks to place the short spans from the East and West piers to the abutments. It won't be long until the old bridge is completely gone. EnJoY! JCC
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Jason Robert Smith commented on John's posting
Different perspective earlier on of the project.
John Carson posted several photos with the comment:
THEY'VE BEEN WORKIN' ON THE RAILROAD! JULY 4TH, 2018. Wow! They have really taken advantage of the 36 hour work window, which started at 1900hrs.(7:00PM) on July 3rd.. Major work completed on the Ellison Creek Bridge on the BNSF Chillicothe Sub, near Media Il. (Henderson Co.) The North half of the old bridge decking has been cut and completely removed. All that left of the old bridge is the steel legs, which will be removed. The new North side deck spans, which had been previously staged on the piers, have been set in place and bolted to the South side. The old East and West abutments have been hammered out and removed, and the old short deck spans removed. The new short deck spans from the new East and West piers to the new abutments have been set in and bolted to the bridge. They were installing the new track on the north side, and service is expected to be resumed on time. It won't be long until all of the old bridge is gone. I imagine that we'll see construction winding down over the next few weeks. EnJoY! JCC
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John Carson shared seven photos with the comment:
THEY'VE BEEN WORKIN' ON THE RAILROAD! A week has past since the big push on the 4th. More work completed on the Ellison Creek bridge, On the BNSF Chilicothe Subdivision, near Media Il. Both tracks are in use. The remaining two old steel trestle piers on the West end have been demolished, and the three on the East end are still standing for now. Embankment and track work continuing, as well as the use of a large track hoe with huge hydraulic shear cutting up sections of the old bridge in to bite size pieces. Enjoy! JCC

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John Carson posted five photos with the comment:
THEY'RE ABOUT DONE WORKIN' ON THE RAILROAD! From July 29th, The last vestiges of the old steel trestle over Ellison Creek near Media Illinois, BNSF Chillicothe Sub, are now gone. Site remediation work will continue for a while, but the new bridge is complete. That is the Southwest Chief passing over the bridge. I will post a complete retrospective of the project when they are completely finished. Enjoy! JCC
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Harold Lee White commented on John's first photo
Certainly a change I worked trains over that Trestle Bridge during my years with the Santa Fe / BNSF as Brakeman and Conductor !972 to 2009. This is a picture of a train on the Bridge that I worked as a Conductor I took the picture.
Bob Kalal posted five photos with the comment: "Media Illinois, before this trestle got updated & strengthened."
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So the old trestle is now (Aug 2020) gone.
John McCulloch shared
BNSF Dash-9 #4098 leads a grain train west towards the Missippi River, but not before crossing the trestle at Media, Illinois.
 
Simon Crabtree posted
UP ZG4CI flying through Media, Illinois

John McCullock posted a 180 view.

A video of a mixed train crossing the new bridge.

A 9-2-18 video with several clips of trains crossing the new bridge. There are still at least two cranes at the site even though it looks like the old bridge is gone. The trains appear to be running at track speed, which was one of the reasons for building a modern bridge. This video makes my railfan videos look steady and well framed.





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