Connecter Status - 11/15/2006
The connector is open for use and mostly finished. Renovation of
Robinson Run Bridge was complete in November 2005. Ditching and drainage improvements
were completed in September of 2006 (see photo to right). An upgrade of the Connector
trail surface between Noblestown Road and the Panhandle Trail was completed
on 11/22/2006 (other sections of the connector already have a quality trail surface).
To form a good trail base in the section targeted for improvement, asphalt road
millings were laid on the connector from the Panhandle Trail to the
McDonald Trestle. After application, the millings were rolled smooth.
A crushed limestone top surface will then added over the asphalt millings
to complete the surface upgrade. Installation of some fencing and signs are planned
and estimated to be completed in the spring of 2007.
Renovation of Robinson Run Bridge
The Montour Panhandle Connector Project began with renovation of the
Robinson Run Bridge. The bridge is located on the connector 0.5 miles west
of the McDonald Trestle. It is a 10 foot wide, 60 feet long, three-span
steel girder bridge. The original structure across Robinson Run was
built in 1917 by the King Bridge Co. of Cleveland, Ohio, as part of the
transfer track between the Montour and Pennsylvania Railroads.
In 2002, the Montour Trail Council Engineering and Construction Committee, (chaired by Ned Williams, who played a vital role in the bridge reconstruction) determined that an engineering study (done by Mark Imgrund, MTC Vice President) would be needed to evaluate the bridge's condition to determine if it could be utilized for the connecting trail.
MTC volunteers began in May of 2004 to dismantle the old railroad ties and rails from the bridge. Jack Peth, managed the construction of two concrete abutments, grouting at the bearing plate locations and reinforcement of the girders with concrete. Retaining walls were built at the abutments and all this work was completed in the spring of 2005. During that summer, volunteers chiseled, hammered and scraped the girders of many decades of rust before power washing and then painting them. That work was lead by Dave Wright. Recycling the old railroad ties and placing them on the girders for a deck foundation came next. Building the railings and a new deck of treated lumber were high lighted with the in-laid design of a rail bed made of composite lumber. The bridge was finished in October of 2005.
The cost of this project was over $13,000 for materials and it was primarily funded through grants received from the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency.
Volunteers contributed over 1600 hours of labor completing the rehabilitation of the Robinson Run Bridge and many hours not counted involved the engineering & design, project management and fund raising. The following volunteers each contributed over 100 hours of labor and were honored at the MTC annual dinner in November of 2005 with the Golden Spike Award: Charlie Beaumariage, John Becker, Roger Mac Elhaney, Dave Oyler, Jack Peth, Ned Williams, John Wasco.
