Trains on floating bridges

[Iain]

I mean, light rail, but still, an engineering challenge.

[Philip H]

having been on those bridges repeatedly I think this is a nifty approach.  It will be very cool to watch it get built.  Perhaps if we start a petition now we can get a rail cam installed on the Seattle side facing Mercer Island?

[p51]

A couple of those bridges have sank in WA state.
The 520 bridge, just north of there, spectacularly sank in 1990: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacey_V._Murrow_Memorial_Bridge#1990_disaster

/>And: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hood_Canal_Bridge#1979_sinking

[Chris333]

Wait the bridge sunk while they were building another one and now they are trying to make a railroad bridge as well   

[Mike C]

A couple of those bridges have sank in WA state.
The 520 bridge, just north of there, spectacularly sank in 1990:

Sounds more like a 420 bridge 

[nickelplate759]

A couple of those bridges have sank in WA state.
The 520 bridge, just north of there, spectacularly sank in 1990: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacey_V._Murrow_Memorial_Bridge#1990_disaster

/>And: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hood_Canal_Bridge#1979_sinking

To be fair, it sank while it was being demolished, and likely already compromised.
This bridge, also in Washington on the other hand, sank while it was in use:
 

[Doug G.]

The Russians did it!



Doug

[nkalanaga]

One of the Seattle floating bridges did sink, while in use, but it was human error.  Someone left a hatch open on a pontoon, and enough rain got in to sink the bridge.  It didn't sink all the way, just enough to close the road, and was easily pumped out.

These bridges cross a lake, not the ocean, and while wind and waves can close them, they're not nearly as unstable as they may seem.

[Doug G.]

At one time, many years ago, from 1882 to 1951, the Milwaukee Road had a pontoon bridge at Reed's Landing on the Mississippi River between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Doug

[x600]

  "Bridges aren't suppose to float" said my brother from New York, as we crossed the Hood Canal Floatingbridge.


Greg O