Railroad Retrofit
Retired railroad bridges no longer in use can be easily converted into recreation bridges for biking, hiking and more. Using our panel-lam technology, installation is simple—no staging of equipment or scaffolding under the bridge is required.
Converting Railroad Bridges for Recreation
Many regional trails are on converted railroad right-of-way. In many cases, the original railroad bridges can be used by the trail.
Wheeler has developed details for attaching new timber deck panels to the existing superstructure of railroad bridges.
Engineering
The process starts with an assessment of the existing structure. Often the rails and ties have already been removed by the railroad. If the ties remain, it’s assumed they’ll be removed as their size and condition are not adequate for the design life of the retrofit.
A complete inspection should be performed by the owner or local structural engineer to identify if any repairs are required for the superstructure and bridge foundations. The superstructure type is identified, such as timber stringers, steel stringers, steel box girder and steel thru-girder.
This identification dictates the connection details required for attaching the new deck system. A particular bridge may have multiple superstructure types.
The main elements of the new deck system are shop-fabricated preserved timber panels. The deck panels are sized based on the desired trail width and loading. Panels are the full width of the trail, 4’ long and typically 6” or 8” thick depending on the design maintenance vehicle.
Wheeler will engineer the deck panels specific to the site. This includes determining the appropriate size and grade of the timber. Douglas Fir is the most common species used in the panel design. All components and connections are detailed and plans are prepared outlining the deck retrofit.
Simplified Installation
All retrofit work is performed deck-down. There’s no need to stage equipment or scaffolding under the existing bridge.
All deck panels include pre-framing and are clearly marked for simple installation. Detailed plans are included specific to your project.
Railings
Rail posts attach directly to our deck panels instead of the existing railroad superstructure. We offer both wood and steel railings, depending on your needs.
Wear Course
Deck panels will be covered to prevent wear and tear. We offer several wear course options, including asphalt, timber and recycled composite.
Outlooks
Outlooks enable users to stop and rest or simply enjoy the surrounding landscape outside of the main travel way. These outlooks can be added by using wider panels at strategic locations along the bridge.
