Canadian National Railway Rainy River

Overview

The Rainy River Bridge project is located where the Canadian National Railway’s Sprague Subdivision line crosses from Canada into the United States. The project scope included the replacement of five existing bridge spans, including a swing span, with six new 176-foot through truss spans. Kraemer erected four of the trusses on a temporary erection platform adjacent to the shore. These four trusses were individually lifted from the erection platform and floated into place on temporary bents adjacent to the piers of the existing bridge. The remaining two trusses were erected on temporary bents adjacent to the existing bridge due to insufficient water for barges.

Once the new trusses were built and in place on the temporary bents adjacent to the existing bridge, the old spans were floated out, and the new spans were floated into place during three, two-day switch-outs. In total, 1.8 million pounds of steel was installed into the project.