Amtrak Bridge Repairs

Project Description

This project consisted of emergency repairs to a bascule bridge over the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut. As part of Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor rail route this bridge saw approximately one train every twenty minutes, crossing at speeds on 60 mph. No interruption of rail traffic was allowed. The work consisted of designing and fabricating a specialized boring machine to remove broken bolts in the main trunnions. New bolts 3 1/4″ diameter and 4′ long were individually custom fit and installed to tolerances of 3/1000 of an inch. Reed & Reed crews worked around the clock to complete this project within an extremely agressive time schedule.

Location: Groton, Connecticut
Owner: Amtrak
Completed: 4/1/1991
Cost: $425,000
Contractor: Reed & Reed, Inc.