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May 29, 2023

The Flange Cracked, & The Bridge Closed

I appreciate the links to articles about bushings and bearings. Here's a little

I appreciate the links to articles about bushings and bearings. Here's a little more about wedges on swing bridges:"Wedges: Wedge-shaped retractable bridge bearings that physically lift the swing span and transmit the load directly from the movable span to the bridge pier when the bridge is in the closed position. The wedges sit on a steel plate called wedge shoe or wedge bed. When the wedges are withdrawn, the dead load of the movable swing span completely shifts to the center bearing in order to swing the span open."https://www.railwayage.com/mw/movable-bridge-best-practices/Though the article deals with railway swing bridges (like the one in Norwalk that's getting replaced), the same principles apply here.