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In This Issue...
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Structural Repairs Underway at Crumbling La Selva Beach Trestle
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Structural Repairs Underway at Crumbling La Selva Beach Trestle
By Michael Thomas
If passenger trains ever trundled across the long, high span of the La Selva Beach trestle, riders would have a dramatic and sweeping view of the Monterey Bay. But in recent years, the condition of the heavily rusted structure has appeared so precarious that some locals have been afraid to even walk beneath it.
Now a crew of workers from Union Pacific is cutting away rotting steel and welding and bolting on replacement supports. The work comes after the County’s Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) released a consultant’s report in August last year that cited the 1920s-era trestle as the worst structure on the 31-mile-corridor it plans to purchase from Union Pacific. Presently the RTC plans to create a hiking and biking trail along the right-of-way.
Freight service would continue on the line and some believe that passenger trains could be established someday.
The RTC has hired a consultant to do more in-depth evaluation of the La Selva trestle and other important structures, including the historic timber trestle that curves over Capitola Village.
Second Round of Studies Delayed
According to Ellen Pirie, County Supervisor and RTC Chairwoman, the second round of study has been delayed. Union Pacific has yet to grant access to their property for studies that will include minimally invasive work, such as scraping away rust to determine the extent of corrosion.
“It’s very frustrating,” Pirie said of the delay.
In the meantime, UP workers at the trestle said they would be working through January and possibly into February. UP initiated the work quietly.
“They went out there without anybody knowing,” Pirie said.
Nevertheless, residents who had considered the trestle a hazard are happy to see significant work being done.
“Of course it’s a relief to see them working on it,” said James Van Houten, a civil engineer and member of the La Selva Beach Improvement Association. Years ago, Van Houten wrote a series of letters to UP about the trestle. “It was absolutely disgraceful, the condition of the thing. Neither the railroad or the PUC [Public Utilities Commission] would do anything about it,” he said.
According to Pirie, “They always responded that it’s fine because it’s so overbuilt.”
Now it appears the impending analysis of the structure compelled UP to undertake repairs.
Mark Davis, a spokesperson for the railroad, said the work was routine.
“Since we still own the property, it would be part of the overall maintenance of the line,” he said.
However, RTC Deputy Director Luis Mendez said Union Pacific recently provided a list of numerous structural elements being replaced. Five “bents” are being repaired, including the transverse beams that provide secondary support. In some cases, rust had completely severed steel beams about 16 inches wide.
On one of the primary supports which survived heavy corrosion, 16 feet of steel sandwich plating is being added. A total of 50 lattice bars are being replaced on two other bents.
At the site, it appeared that additional points were found to need repairs.
“They were out there longer than they originally told us they were going to be,” Mendez said.
In January, the RTC approved a contract with HNTB Corporation to do the secondary structural analysis. Once UP grants access to the line, the consultants will start by reviewing other structures to allow time for the La Selva Trestle to be repaired.
According to Mendez, “[the work] includes taking samples from some of the structures and testing to determine the extent of corrosion. They will be able to determine how much of a load the structure can take.”
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