Page 20: of Marine News Magazine (October 2020)

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COLUMN

Bridge Heights Are Not Guesswork

Accuracy Is Imperative spud height, inquire about the exact height or go onboard “Your true pilot cares nothing about anything on the barge to check the height himself. What made matters earth but the river, and the pride in his occupation worse, was the fact that these particular spuds could be surpasses the pride of kings.” -Mark Twain, Life on positioned either all the way up or all the way down. Omi- the Mississippi (1883).

That statement made by the great chronicler and river nously, the spuds were in the full up position.

The captain commenced what was planned to be a four- pilot over 137 years ago is arguably as true today as it was then. But what has changed dramatically in the almost mile transit route requiring passage under a vertical lift rail- road bridge. The bridge, which had a vertical clearance of century and a half since then is the variety and complex- ity of the daily challenges that river pilots confront on our 35 feet when down and 135 feet when raised, was manned increasingly busy inland waterways. The sophistication of 24/7 and the operator could raise it partially or completely locks, dams and bridges, the unpredictable ? uctuations in depending on the circumstances and communications re- ceived from approaching vessels via marine radio.

water levels and the consequences to those who fail to fac-

Seeing that the bridge was in the down position as he tor in all of the above when planning their commercial approached, the pilot judged that “he could make it un- river trips can be costly career killers.

Even in Twain’s day, one key concern of any experienced der the bridge without problems.” It was daylight, weather river pilot was the depth, width and height of not only his conditions were favorable with an ebb current and 4 nauti- vessel, but, as importantly, whatever that vessel was pushing cal miles visibility.

The towboat passed under the railroad bridge, but as or pulling. While those measurements were a constant for his vessel, the variances of the sizes of that day’s job were the ? exi? oat spud barge being towed astern was proceed- unpredictable. And, while water levels change and navigable ing underneath the bridge, the spuds on the barge came in channels widen and narrow, bridge heights don’t. It’s up to contact with the lower railroad steel beam of the bridge, the pilot to make adjustments to his calculations and safety resulting in damages to the spuds and, possibly, the bridge.

Following the allision and as the shaken pilot was assess- margins according to that day’s river conditions. If that isn’t done, the potential consequence of a bridge allision could be ing damage to the barge and attending to other potential the beginning of a very long and dif? cult battle to defend his onboard safety issues like ? ooding and pollution, the rail- pilot’s license, career on the river and professional reputation. road bridge operator immediately reported the incident

The case highlighted here is not at all unusual in the set to the local Coast Guard station prompting the on-duty

USCG safety of? cer to contact the pilot for con? rmation of facts and, sadly, in its outcome as well.

that his tow had indeed struck the bridge. The pilot con- ? rmed the allision with the bridge and reported that the

A lapse in judgement

In late fall, our pilot was serving onboard a towboat on a lower two bolts of the forward spud well bent over and the

Midwest river and towing astern a 50- by 50-foot ? exi? oat aft spud well’s upper bolts broke, causing the aft spud and spud barge. On board the barge was a deckhand and two well to bend backwards. He further reported no damage to observers. The workboat pilot had towed several ? exi? oat his vessel or, to the best of his knowledge the railroad bridge.

barges previously, but it was his ? rst time towing this spe- ci? c ? exi? oat spud barge. The trouble truly began when An open & shut case

After his conversation with the Coast Guard of? cer, the he eye-balled the spud height above the water level to be 35 feet. Unfortunately, he did not directly measure the pilot reported the incident to his license insurer and was

October 2020 20 MN