Hoosier Southern – BR 8.1 Bridge Replacement 2024
The Situation
Hoosier Southern Railroad and Perry County Port Authority contracted Cooper Contracting to demolish the timber trestle bridge with 250′ steel spans on driven H pile and replace it with a structure that included poured-in-place piers, steel piling, and concrete spans. The project also included converting an open deck to a ballast deck on part of the span.
Hoosier Southern Railroad’s bridge 8.1 spans the Anderson River within a mile of the Ohio River. Periodic flooding happens throughout the year around this bridge due to the proximity of the Ohio River.
Cooper Contracting made what could have been a difficult project seem easy. They were able to adapt to changing conditions and keep our trains moving every step of the way. Their dedication to quality and efficiency has resulted in a bridge that can now handle additional capacity and is much safer for our team. We couldn’t be happier with the results!
Jared Kleeman, General Manager, Perry County Port Authority
Our Solution
The location of Bridge 8.1 required a 1600′ access road to be built through a wooded area. To minimize track downtime, our crew built a 175′ temporary bridge to service the railroad while constructing the new bridge. Demolition of the existing bridge required the removal of 250′ steel spans on driven H pile and the timber trestle.
The Ohio River’s propensity for flooding required extra planning for mobilization and setup. The ability to safely demobilize within a couple of hours versus days saved time and expenses on the job. The access road withstood several flooding events during the construction period without a need to rebuild.
The new structure consists of two poured-in-place piers and concrete spans on driven H pile with some ballast deck.