The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-20
THAMES RIVER BRDGlI
Approval of Plans by New Ha- ven Directors to Replace Old Structure With Modern Four Track Bridge.

i g1neersT of the company are compIet- ing final arrangements for the build | ing of a new bridge over Thames 1 Fsiver at New London The present I bridge was built in 1888 and 1889
 and was originally a two-tracl1 struc- | ture. In 1908, however, owing to the
 increase in the weight Of equipment, 1 it was necessary to limit the use of l the bridge to single track operations.
 When the new bridge is finished the l old bridge will be given by the New
 Haven to the State of Connecticut 1 for use as a highway bridge, thereby improving and shortening the wagon
 and motor road along the shore line 1 to marked degree. The present | bridge, with it's approaches, cost ori-
 ginally about $1,30O,O00 and is a five | span structure, the length of each lspan from west to east being 15O feet, 1910 feet, 503 feet (draw span of the
 swing type), BIO feet and 15O feet.
 r The action of the directors of the New Haven in approving the final
 plans for the new bridge is in line
 with the policy of the Elliott admins l tration to put the property in 3. posi-
 ton to do the maximum amount Of business and to perform it's duties as | a common carrier with the utmost
 safety and efficiency. The operation | of the Thames River bridge as a, sin gle track has reduced the capacity
 and efficiency of the entire main line
 from Boston to New York and it has | been the intention of. the Directors
 to correct the situation just as soon | as there was any financial ability to l do so. The new bridge and approach
 es will cost approximately $2,5o0,0O0:
 this amount is only one-tenth of the ] minimum amount that President FL liott has estimated will have to be i expended in the next five years for new equipment; for better ballast on certain lines as to increase safety, 1 preserve ties and keep down dust; 1 for improved and added signals so as | to increase safety and capacity Of
 road; for added trackage, yards and l sidings; for improved terminal faci1- I ities at many points so that better 1 care may be taken. of motive power,- l better working conditions created for l employees and better service given to | the public, and for an indeterminate
 amount of minor Improvements. To | accomplish all this and to put the company in a position where it may I operate it's trains with the greatest
 economy efficiency and safety, will | mean the expenditure of at least $50, O00,OO0; but as the situation of the 1 Thames River has been for several years a, draw back to efficient opera
 ton, as it is beyond doubt the pinch l ing" point in the main line between ENew York and Boston, the Directors
 have, now that net earnings are some
 what better, authorized the work.
 The new Thames River bridge will l be a, four-track sub-structure, with a 1 tvso track. jsuper-structure, leaving I room for two more tracks later on., 1 The center line of the new two track tsuper-structure is distant from the center line of the old bridge 1855 feet 1 upstream. The new bridge will be a l five span structure with bascule type Iof lift. This was chosen because of 1 the saving in time in opening and clos ing for vessels to pass fup or down stream, as compared with the time 1 consumed in opening and closing a
 draw span of the swing type. The lift ing and lowering of the bascule will be operated electrically. The five spans of the new bridge from west to east will be respectively l 185 feet, PIP feet, 330 feet. About D. ] 900 tons of steel will be used in it's | construction. The approaches to the
 Bridge will De 1900 feet on the west
 side andS1 500 feet Non the east side; i The abutfnents on either end will be reinforced concrete.
 l It will be necessary to construct the four piers that will support this bridge to go down, to depths ranging from ' 5 feet to 142 feet suitable bear ing strata. The pier at the east end
 will find bed rock at475 to 100 feet, one pier will be constructed at the 110 fo ct level and two at 142. feet. These piers wifi be of concrete with mason
 ary facing between high and low wa ter. These piers will be constructed by the open we'll dredging process
 and the fourth will be built Nunder the pneumatic eaisson process. The extreme dimensions at the founda- l tions will be Az feet by 9s feet and will require about 48,000 cubic yards Of concrete to construct the piers. In the approaches it will be necessary to construct two small bridges to accom- date the state pier and one small bridge over FairvieW, avenue. For some time the company has been carrying on the work of realign- ing the track on the west side of the
 Thames River at Winthrop Cove, and while this work. is being carried on distinct from the main structure it is really a part of the Thames River bridge work. Much of this work is
 completed at the present time and trains are now going over a portion of the new tracks, but upon comple- ton of the new bridge the full bene-
 fits of this w0rk will be felt in more econ ornicaI operation of trains. The approach of the west side of the pre- sent HsMddge is a, long and sharp eight degree curve Under the new arrange ment this curve is heightened out somewhat and the degree of curve is materially lessened to six degrees.
 As soon as the contracts are let work upon the new bridge will be be- p11n and it is expected that the struc- ture will be fully compFetedt some- time in 1917. when one of the most difficult points in the main line of the 1 New Haven system will be elimzn2ted
 Not only will the new bridge mean a. saving of time and improvement to the service of the New Haven Rail- road, but it also represents another step in the development of New Eng lands transportatio facilities. The present bridge is less than three de- cadess old;>but for several years it has been inadequate for the services de- 1l1anded of it. Yet prior to the con struction Of this bridge which is to be abandoned by the New Haven rail- road, trains were transported across the Themes by ferry boats, and be- fore that passengers, We're forced to disembark on one side of the river take a ferry across, and reembark