Out with the old….In with the new

BNSF Railway replaces 110-year-old Washougal River rail crossing in Camas

By Kelly Moyer

June 8, 2017 5:30 am

News

A glimpse of "before and after" is seen here in the BNSF rail bridge that crosses the Washougal River in Camas. On Monday, June 5, workers removed the final piece of the 110-year-old bridge (pictured here on the right) and prepared to place a new crossing to match the first half of the truss bridge (pictured on left) that they installed ealier this month.

Workers assist with the BNSF Railway Washougal River bridge replacement in Camas, on Monday, June 5.

Workers remove pieces of the old Washougal River BNSF Railway bridge in Camas on Monday, June 5. The rail company estimates it will be another two months before the bridge will be back in production. The new, wider-clearance, truss bridge replaces a 110-year-old crossing.

Crews put the final touches on a three-year-old, $10 million replacement of BNSF Railway’s Washougal River bridge in Camas this week.

On Monday, crews swapped the second half of the nearly 110-year-old railway bridge spanning the Washougal River and replaced it with a new, 200-foot-long truss bridge that offers trains a wider clearance.

As crews worked to remove pieces of the old rail bridge, a handful of residents stopped and snapped pictures to capture the moment and remember this longtime piece of Camas’ history.

In January, BNSF spokesperson Gus Melonas told The Post-Record that the railway company would still have work to do after installing the new truss bridge.

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