Quote:
Originally Posted by Undertoad
Here, too, the question is who would want to pay the millions of dollars to raise the tracks a couple of feet? To accomplish this, the grade of the tracks would have to changed on both sides of the trestle, probably for several miles.
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First it did not cost anywhere near a $million to raise that bridge two feet. I believe it was less than $100,000. And the grade need only be raised for a thousand feet in each direction. When the entire bed is upgraded (every ten years if using wooden ties or when those ties are replaced with concrete), then everything gets fixed. Since they are changing most everything anyway.
After 70 years, we cannot change because nothing can be changed? Nonsense. The entire rail bed (and bridge) is fixed when major refurbishment is done every 10 or 20 years.
Problem is too many thinking like an MBA - only this year. This problem exists because 20 and 40 years ago, a solution was not being implemented. All thinking must be in terms of decades - not months or years. (It even takes four years to design a light bulb.)
We are not thinking in terms of a solution. Because so many of us are educated in MBA concepts - where everything is only about the cost this year. And then have no problem wasting $3 trillion on Mission Accomplished - due to lies.
No reason for any bridge to be less than 14 feet - in a nation that wants to make America great. But those who use that expression only want to enrich themselves - cut costs - make more Flints.
No reason for any bridge to be that low. So many fear to fix and upgrade. Since, according to spread sheets, building something new creates an asset (good). Fixing or upgrading (or even painting) something only creates an expense (evil). Spread sheet (defeatist) logic.