Between Traver & Plymouth: AARR train placing crushed stone where tracks washed out; looks nearly fixed. [photo] [Stopped.Watched. series starting May 25: embankment failure]
Update: Crew spreading stone: [photo] Additional equipment waiting nearby, west of Traver: [photo]
Sounds like the Ann Arbor Railroad is going through downtown to test out the repair work up on Traver and Bowen. I’m at Hill and State and hearing it blow its horn.
Photo of Saturday’s railroad repair taken by Norm Kerr. [photo] Notice the new rails ready to go – just off to one side. Rumor has it they’ll be back in business as early as May 31!
Counted 14 double-trailer gravel trucks pointed southwards, waiting their turn to back their way along the railroad track and add their loads to the embankment repair. [photo] They’re backing right down the section of track that Ann Arbor Railroad did some straightening work on back in fall 2008.
Overnight update conveyed to The Chronicle by Ward 1 councilmember Sabra Briere: According to a Broadway Street neighbors group, last night (Thursday) the railroad had “road train” heavy trucks delivering 4-6-inch crushed rock into the hole. They’re trying to fill it up so that they can re-lay the track and reopen the rail line. This [photo] (by Sarah Byers) shows the cross section of the rail bed (where the railroad workers are standing), and how the uphill side could retain water.
Update from Briere after morning tour: [photo] of gravel being spread.
More scenes from the washed out railroad tracks and mucked up Plymouth Road. A view of workers next to the collapsed tracks [photo]. A view from Plymouth Road – it’s hard to see, but just above the truck cab you can pick out the rusty brown tracks over the washout [photo]. A view of Plymouth Road covered with muck [photo].
Plymouth Road between Jones Drive and the west end of Broadway is closed in both directions, presumably due to flooding. Traffic heading into downtown is being shunted onto Jones Drive, traffic heading the other way is being shunted onto Broadway. [photo] [Ed. note: Credit on the photo goes to Sarah Byers.]
Police seemingly blocking off south-bound Plymouth after Barton/Jones. Flooded perhaps?
