I Railroad Bridge News

The lock chambers at McAlpine Locks and Dam in Louisville, Ky., are closed to traffic after 10 barges broke loose from a tow on the Ohio River.Shortly after 2 a.m. on Tuesday, a vessel towing 11 barges struck a stationary structure at the entrance to the Portland Canal near the lock and dam, causing 10 of the barges to break loose.No injuries were reported, and all personnel are accounted for.Seven of the runaway barges, including one that had been pinned against the L&I railroad bridge pier…

As 2022 appears on the not-so-distant horizon, we asked inland waterways executives to reflect on the major issues impacting their industry. Just how those issues evolve – and whether they present as challenges or opportunities – is, of course, unknown. Answers to some future questions will be relatively straightforward, confidently based on industry knowledge and experience. Other outcomes remain hazier, and next steps could be influenced by forces and players completely removed from the business of barges…

It was a beautiful mid-summer afternoon in the nation’s heartland. The skies were clear, the sun was shining and the variable southwest breeze barely caused a ripple on the muddy water of the winding river. Optimistic fishermen lined the riverbanks and a few recreational boaters were cruising close to the floating docks lining both shores.This tranquil scene on this busy waterway was about to change…and quickly.A parting of the waysAbout a half mile upriver, a 95-foot tug was proceeding southbound on a slow bell with two barges made up end-to-end along her starboard side.

“Your true pilot cares nothing about anything on earth but the river, and the pride in his occupation surpasses the pride of kings.” -Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi (1883).That statement made by the great chronicler and river pilot over 137 years ago is arguably as true today as it was then. But what has changed dramatically in the almost century and a half since then is the variety and complexity of the daily challenges that river pilots confront on our increasingly busy inland waterways.

In late Spring at about 0300 local time, an aging towboat (#1) was pushing two loaded barges upbound on a swollen and fast-moving northwestern U.S. river. It was a moonless night and, while certainly not unusual conditions for the veteran captain and his longtime deckhand, it didn’t diminish the added challenges of the short but tricky nocturnal run. And, as towboat pilots know, activities and hazards that are literally clear in daytime hours, take on a decidedly different complexion after the sun sets and inky darkness envelops the river and shrouds its banks.

The Coast Guard and partner agencies are responding to reports of several barges and vessels breaking away from their moorings on the Hudson River near Troy, New York, Friday morning.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New York received the initial report of the situation from Rensselaer emergency dispatch.New York State Marine notified the Coast Guard that an additional six vessels were noticed adrift in the ice flows shortly before sunrise.One of the vessels is a 300-foot cruise boat, currently stuck at the Livingston Avenue railroad bridge. Two adrift barges have been secured.Coast Guard Cutter Penobscot Bay, a 140-foot ice breaker…

An allision in the maritime sector is defined as an accident in which a moving object strikes a stationary object (bridge fender, bridge deck, dock, dredging vessel, etc.). According to the Maritime Law Association (MLA) such an accident calls the “Oregon Rule” into play. Simply put, the Oregon Rule states that “…when a moving object hits a stationary object, the moving object is presumed at fault. The moving vessel thus has the burden of proving an alternate theory of causation…

Late last year, the Transportation Research Board released a major study that was undertaken “in response to the rapid development of domestic sources of energy and questions about the safest ways to move these products.” The Study Committee examined the operational responses of the three primary modes impacted by the fracking revolution – rail, pipeline and maritime. A primary observation of this work was that that the “Marine Transportation System Offers a Model for Robust Safety…

A barge sank east of the Galveston Causeway railroad bridge Tuesday, causing the U.S. Coast Guard to issue a safety zone and temporarily restrict traffic on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The restriction allows one-way and single-wide barges only, from mile marker 356 to mile marker 357. The owner of the sunken barge has contracted T & T salvage to remove the barge, which was being towed to be scrapped when it sank.

The U.S. Coast Guard has lifted its safety zone on the Neches River Tuesday as oil spill cleanup activities near their conclusion. The response began after a pipeline at the Jefferson Energy Terminal released an estimated 880 gallons of Eagle Ford crude oil into the river Saturday afternoon, leading to the river’s closure from the Kansas City Southern Railroad Bridge to the north end of the Standolind Anchorage, near light151. With the safety zone lifted, all vessel traffic may now transit without restriction, but the Coast Guard has requested that mariners observe a minimal wake zone through the affected area. The Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office…

The U.S. Coast Guard siad it is continuing its response to an allision resulting in a barge breakaway on the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill., Wednesday. An Incident Command Post has been established at Marine Safety Unit Paducah. Lt. Cmdr. Heather Stratton is the Incident Commander. It was initially stated that the closure was from mile marker 44 to mile marker 30 on the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is now closed to all traffic from mile marker 44 to mile marker 20, with the exception of authorized vessels involved in the incident. Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley watchstanders received a call after the tow vessel Michael G. Morris allided with the Thebes Railroad Bridge at approximately 5 a.m., Wednesday. The allision caused all 30 barges loaded with grain to breakaway.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it is responding to an allision and barge breakaway on the Mississippi River at mile marker 43.7 near Thebes, Ill., Wednesday.   Tow vessel Michael G. Morris allided with the Thebes Railroad Bridge at mile marker 43.7, causing the 30 barges it was pushing to breakaway, the Coast Guard said. The cause of the incident is under investigation.   The incident has resulted in the Coast Guard having to close the Mississippi River from mile markers 30 to 44 after the.   Additionally, a barge has reportedly struck a barge from another tow vessel, and one containing soybeans is sinking.

The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a barge allision at mile marker 435.8 on the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Miss., Wednesday.   Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River received a call at 10:19 a.m., stating the towing vessel Wally Roller allided with the Vicksburg Railroad Bridge.   All six barges were reported to have broken free and have now been safely accounted for, and traffic has resumed.   The Vicksburg Railroad Bridge will remain closed until a safety inspection is completed by the Vicksburg Bridge Commission and the State of Mississippi.   The Coast Guard said it is evaluating additional navigation safety measures in order to reduce the potential for future marine accidents.   The cause of the incident is under investigation.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a number of river closures, restrictions and advisories in response to floods in the Midwest and South. Illinois River is open to traffic. The Coast Guard recommends that mariners transit the river in daylight hours only. The Missouri River is open to vessel traffic. The Coast Guard urges mariners to monitor VHF-FM channels 16 and 22 for any changes to the river. For more details on the closures set in place by Sector Upper Mississippi River call the command center at 314-269-2610. The Paducah-Louisville railroad bridge at mile marker 94.8 on Green River requires one-hour notice for opening. The Louisville-Nashville Swing Bridge at mile marker 190.4 on Cumberland River is closed. A safety advisory is in place from mile marker 110 to mile marker 0.

The towing vessel Ron W. Callegan with 22 barges allided with the Vicksburg Railroad Bridge, near Vicksburg, Miss., after which nine barges containing coal broke free, two of which sank. The U.S. Coast Guard has implemented a safety zone on the Lower Mississippi River from mile marker 438 to mile marker 426 to restrict maritime traffic to those vessels needed in the response. Towing vessels in the area are assisting in securing the barges that broke free. A surveyor and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working to locate the two barges that sank to ensure they will not be a hazard to navigation. The railroad bridge will remain closed until a safety inspection is completed by the Vicksburg Bridge Commission and the State of Mississippi. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

It has been said that the vast majorities of collisions at sea occur in near perfect weather conditions. That trend can also be applied to the inland river system. Not too long ago, it was a beautiful mid-summer afternoon in the nation’s heartland. The skies were clear, the sun was shining and the variable southwest breeze barely caused a ripple on the muddy water of the winding river. Hopeful fishermen lined the riverbanks and a few recreational boats were cruising close to the floating docks lining both shores. This tranquil scene on this busy waterway was about to change … and quickly.

Today in U.S. 1867 - Capt. William Reynolds of Lackawanna raises U.S. flag over Midway Island and took formal possession of these islands for the U.S. 1942 - 120 women, commissioned directly as ENS or LTJG, reported to "USS Northampton," Smith College for training. 1952 - Units on USS Boxer (CV-21) launch explosive-filled drone which explodes against railroad bridge near Hungnam, Korea. First guided missile launched from ship during Korean Conflict. 1965 - Cdr. Scott Carpenter and nine aquanauts enter SeaLab II, 205 ft.

Mississippi River barge traffic could reopen Friday at the earliest, government officials said on Wednesday, a day after a barge struck a railroad bridge at Sabula, Iowa, forcing the closure of a two-mile (3.2 km) stretch of the country's busiest waterway. The U.S. Coast Guard was investigating damage to the railroad bridge owned by Canadian Pacific Railroad Ltd while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was traveling to the site to survey the waters for any debris. "Currently the river is closed to vessel traffic. It will be closed through Friday at least," said Mike Reed, chief of prevention for the Coast Guard's upper Mississippi River sector. A vessel towing 15 barges upriver hit the bridge on Tuesday, damaging a portion of the protective pier.

Today in U.S. 1867 - Captain William Reynolds of Lackawanna raises U.S. flag over Midway Island and took formal possession of these islands for the U.S. 1942 - 120 women, commissioned directly as ENS or LTJG, reported to USS Northampton, Smith College for training. 1952 - Units on USS Boxer (CV-21) launch explosive-filled drone which explodes against railroad bridge near Hungnam, Korea. First guided missile launched from ship during Korean Conflict. 1965 - Cdr. Scott Carpenter and nine aquanauts enter SeaLab II, 205 ft.

Precision Is Imperative. The statement made by the great chronicler and river pilot himself over 130 years ago is arguably as true today as it was then. But what has changed dramatically in the six score and 10 years since is the variety and complexity of the daily challenges that river pilots confront in our modern world. The sophistication of locks, dams and the proliferation of bridges, the mercurial fluctuations in water levels and the consequences to those who fail to factor in all of the above when planning their commercial river trips can be career killers.

Massachusetts’ Cape Cod Canal will remain closed daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, February 7, 2014 to permit maintenance work on the vertical life railroad bridge across the canal. The Canal may be open on Saturday, February 1 and/or Sunday, February 2 if repair operations permit. A bulletin on January 14 originally announced that the Cape Cod Canal would resume normal operations on January 31, but unavoidable delays prolonged maintenance work.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday closed the Mississippi River at Sabula, Iowa, after a barge struck a railroad bridge, said Eric Washburn, bridge administrator for agency's Eighth District Western Rivers Bridge Branch. The river was closed to north and southbound traffic as of about 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT), Washburn said, adding that investigators were traveling to the site. The barge was stuck in an open position and the contents of the barge were unknown, he said. The Mississippi River is the busiest U.S. waterway and the main route to ports along the U.S. Gulf Coast. (Reporting by Michael Hirtzer)

The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday closed the Mississippi River at Sabula, Iowa, after a barge struck a railroad bridge, said Eric Washburn, bridge administrator for the agency's Eighth District Western Rivers Bridge Branch. The river was closed 1 mile (1.6 km) north and 1 mile south of the site of the accident as of about 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT), Washburn said. The barge was stuck in an open position. The contents of the barge were unknown as investigators traveled to the site, he said. "The investigators will have to inspect the bridge and make a determination if it needs repairs," added Tim Marriott, enforcement chief for the Coast Guard's upper Mississippi River sector. The rail bridge was owned by Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd , said company spokesman Ed Greenberg.