"No trains were involved in the incident and there are no reports of injuries, the company [CN] said." Not only are trains that take grain to Thunder Bay stopped, but also all boat traffic. [cbc]
Trains referenced Historic Bridges. But that is the wrong bridge. That is the bridge over Rainy River.
Craig Hensley Photography posted three photos with the comment: "A bridge collapsed today along CN’s Rainy subdivision in Fort Frances, ON. The cause for the collapse is still unknown, but it doesn’t appear that a train was involved in the incident. Investigations are on going and it looks like a real mess."
StormySky Rail Productions shared
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| 1 [The bridge has been automated, and it was on its way back up after a train passed over. It appears the counterweight broke off and fell backward. Without the counterweight to hold the span up, it slammed back down on its abutment and got bent by the impact.] |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Craig's post Pushing street views to its limit: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SRPQo4Xt3eGPo2Kx6. It looks like it was a Strauss Overhead Counterweight design, and the entire counterweight structure fell over. |
Rainy Lake Property Owners Association posted three photos with the comment: "CN Bridge '5 Mile Bridge' collapsed on the Canadian side of Sand Bay."
[Judging from some comments, this post is the source of these three photos. I'm surprised that Craig did not acknowledge this source.]
Nathan Holth: Does anyone have any photos of this bridge from before it collapsed? I am the author of https://HistoricBridges.org this bridge was unfamiliar to me but in these photos it appears to have been a rare bascule bridge of the Strauss overhead counterweight type, a bridge with heritage significance. A very tragic loss! Would be interested to see these photos in higher resolution too.
Kevin Christianson: Does anyone know the clearance under the stationary bridge that is near this site?
Jordan Christian: Kevin Christianson 9’6”
J.B. Rail Photog shared
Dennis DeBruler shared with the comment: "A CN Strauss Overhead Counterweight bridge collapsed on Aug 14, 2024."
Dennis DeBruler: Location: https://www.google.com/.../@48.6459388.../data=!3m1!1e3...
John Edminson: They find out why yet?
Dennis DeBruler: CN is releasing remarkably little information. The only info they provided was that no train was involved. When a news outfit asked a question, the response was no further comment. An eye witness said the bridge was automatically going back up because a train had just gone over it. So CN must have meant that a train did not hit the bridge. I could not determine if any government inspectors will be involved. If the reason is that CN laid off too many maintenance personnel during the PSR fad, what are the odds that we will ever find out why?
John Edminson: Dennis DeBruler if it's like bridges I work on the brakes that hold it up are cheap. I bet they failed and bridge came down on its own
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on John's second comment If that was the case, wouldn't the counterweight structure still be standing? And the span would not fall so fast as to bend it when it hit the abutment? Some people in the area mentioned a loud bang when it failed. My speculation is a structural failure in the counterweight structure because of poor maintenance. Photo by "DanCarol Wurdeman" Facebook user. |
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| Sylvia Hnatiuk Johnston commented on the above post Someone was looking for a photo of the bridge. I took one several years ago. Happy to share. [This is definitely a SOC design.] |
Two photos provided in comments by DanCarol Wurdeman in reply to Nathan's comment.
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"It [CN] added that no trains were involved in the incident, and that the cause is under investigation. However, there are reports that the bridge collapsed shortly after a train crossed it and while the automated system was in the process of raising it to allow boats to pass below. Dougall Media reached out to CN for clarification, but the company said it would have no further comment for now." [nwonewswatch]
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| fftimes, paycount 3 "The blocked waterway is an access point for properties on the lake which lack road access. Boats and barges service these properties with supplies and propane. Al Boivin of Rainy Lake Boat Taxi is one of the service providers who operates on the lake. He posted a photo of the collapse on his social media feed, stating, “Well that’s the end of the 100 plus year old lift bridge.”" |
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| fox21online, Photo from Rainy Lake Property Owners Assoc |
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