Close up look at damage to Kerch/Crimea railway

[BootinUp]

Link to tweet

[Tomconroy]

1. Haven't seen any videos of trains running and I've looked for them.

The other side of the bridge has scorch marks too.

[thomski64]

2. Hit it again.

[Deuxcents]

3. Yes! It's disabled but needs destroyed

[blue-wave]

4. Wow!

I saw pictures of the same damage, but couldn't confirm. There is no doubt this is the real deal. I would guess those rails were made with substandard materials or processes. After all, the bridge was rushed and completed in about 2 years.

Someone mentions in the comments that concrete and fire/heat don't get along. Concrete crumbles under extreme heat. I wonder about damage we might not be shown. Even so, I'm a proponent of sending in the ATACMS's. Those are long range HIMARS missiles. Give Ukraine what it needs to finish the job of bridge destruction once and for all.

[Emrys]

7. The Russians also used helicoper-delivered sea water to quench the flames.

It put the fire out eventually, but at what additional cost to the integrity of the bridge steelwork and concrete?

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Twitter replies:

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[blue-wave]

8. Another Wow!!

Thanks for all the tweets! You rock!!

I do agree with them. The bridge, both rail and auto, for the foreseeable future is toast.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Thanks! I wasn't sure ow far I should go since there's apparently some disagreement

[Hermit-The-Prog]

9. I disagree with bt-6060. Those images show the effects of significant heat.

The rails and trucks were near melting point. Note wheels, axles, frames, springs, rails. If the roadbed has pre-stressed concrete beams, it's screwed in that area.

[Rhiannon12866]

11. Thanks! I knew that someone on DU with more knowledge that I have would know...

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. I'm not an engineer, just a few decades of practical experience with steel.

Thanks for sorting through and posting twitter info on this!

[Rhiannon12866]

16. Thanks for weighing in!

All I can see is a dangerous and unsalvageable mess...

[blue-wave]

13. I agree

There is a lot of damage there and likely a lot we don't see. A de-construction and re-construction of a large section appears be required.

[NJCher]

12. will be interesting to watch this

to see how much traffic they put on this bridge.

A collapsing bridge would make him look even worse, if that's possible.

Thanks for selecting and posting these, Rhiannon.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Thanks! Given my lack of knowledge on the subject, not sure if I chose the relevant ones...

But fortunately we have smart people on DU...

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. Don't think I could achieve that with a weed-burner and tank of propane.

Rosebud and oxy-acetylene would take a while, too.

Might be safe to walk on that concrete, but I wouldn't want to put a load on it.