To the Members of the American Railway Engineering Association: Your Committee on Wooden Bridges and Trestles respectfully submits herewith its report: The Association directed that the outline of committee work for the year 1912 be as follows: (1) Report on formulæ for use in determining the strength of (2) (3) sheet piling. Report on fire protection of wooden bridges and trestles. Complete report on the use of guard-rails for wooden bridges trestles. The Committee was divided into sub-committees and a different topic assigned to each. The work during the forepart of the year consisted of the collection and tabulation of data. A meeting was held in Chicago on the second of November, 1912, at which were present Messrs. I. L. Simmons, Chairman; W. S. Bouton, Vice-Chairman; E. A. Frink, Hans Ibsen, D. W. Smith and H. B. Stuart. The different sub-committees furnished the information which they had collected. The points contained in the information were discussed and the Committee desires to make the following report and recommendations: On subject (1) the Committee reports progress. On subject (2), Report on Fire Protection of Wooden Bridges and Trestles, the Committee does not deem it advisable to make any recommendations, but submits its report as information. On subject (3) the Committee makes the following recommendations: CONCLUSIONS. (1) It is recommended as good practice to use guard timbers on all open-floor bridges, and same should be so constructed as to properly space the ties and hold them securely in their places. (2) It is recommended as good practice to use guard-rails to extend beyond the ends of the bridges for such a distance as required by local conditions, but that this length in any case be not less than fifty feet; that guard-rails be fully spiked to every tie and spliced at every joint, the guard-rail to be some form of a metal guard-rail. (3) It is recommended that the guard timber and guard-rail be so spaced in reference to the track rail that a derailed truck will strike the guard-rail without striking the guard timber. (4) The height of the guard-rail to be not over one inch less than the running rail. During the year a communication was received from Mr. Lindsay, suggesting the substitution of the term "guide-rail" for "guard-rail," and after due consideration by the Committee, it was decided not to recommend the change. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR'S WORK. Your Committee recommends that the following subjects be assigned for the ensuing year: (1) Complete report on formulæ for use in determining the strength of sheet piling. (2) Report on the subject of docks and wharves. Respectfully submitted, COMMITTEE ON WOODEN BRIDGES AND TRESTLES. Number Appendix A. PRACTICE OF VARIOUS RAILWAYS AS TO GUARD-RAILS. D. & H. Co. Pa. Lines West.. Illinois Central. M. & St. L. No. See Remarks... T-Rails. No. See Remarks.. No. See Remarks.. Yes. No. See Remarks.. T-Rails See Appendix A3. See Appendix A4 Metal and Timber. T-Rails. See Appendix A3.. Metal. See Remarks.. Metal. Metal. Metal. Metal. Metal Metal Metal and Timber Metal.... Metal T-Rails. See Appendix A1. |