Modern Marvels - Bridge Building

[tallyho8]

They started the "Big Lift" last night. They moved the section under the bridge and hooked the cables up to it and started lifting it up off the barges.

I took these photos about noon and this is how high they have gotten so far. I would not like to be one of the guys on the barges under that section.

The second photo is a close up of one of the 4 large jacks they are using.

I don't know why they did the middle of the 3 sections first. The section on the right will be the largest section to lift.

Check out the size of the four turnbuckles connected to the jack cables.

 

[tallyho8]

Bridge building has always fascinated me as it did my father before me. He was also very interested in the Huey P. and the photos below are out of his old scrapbook. #1 is them driving the 1st piling for the bridge in the 1930s. #2 is part of the literature that they handed out to the first 5000 people to cross the bridge on opening day. He was #1357.

 

[Tdog]

Dudley - - thanks for the pictures, especially the old ones. I bet the TP would be interested, too.

 

[tallyho8]

They just finished the second "Big Lift". Here is an interesting time-lapse video.
YouTube - timelapse 11 20 10 WMV 360p 16x9

 

[QRTRHRS]

Not trying to hijack this thread because I enjoy shows/stories about bridges period. The times and the technologies make one upmanship nonsense.

Anyway, do a search on the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge.