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Not Again! Beverly Bridge Stuck For 3rd Time

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Jan 17, 2008 4:09 pm US/Eastern

Not Again! Beverly Bridge Stuck For 3rd Time

Barge Crash May Be Linked To Latest Delay

BEVERLY (WBZ) ― A troublesome commuter rail bridge in Beverly is open again after being shut down for the third time in less than a month.

The swing bridge on the Newburyport/Rockport line was locked into place at about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, and regular rail service resumed.

The bridge wouldn't close Thursday morning after it was opened at around 7:15 a.m. to let a lobster boat through.

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said the problem was a gearbox that was replaced after the bridge had a mechanical failure on January 2.

Crews made temporary repairs to the gearbox and were able to get the bridge back open around 2:30 p.m. Pesaturo said the bridge won't be opened again to let boat traffic throught until permanent repairs are made Friday.

Pesaturo tells WBZ the bridge repair work will not take place during peak commuting periods. Instead, it will be scheduled during hours when very few trains are using the tracks. He said very few -- if any -- trains will be affected.

The bridge's recent problems began when it was struck by a barge on December 21 and had to be closed.

Pesaturo believes the barge may have knocked the bridge out of alignment, which probably affected the gearbox.

Was your commute affected by the broken bridge?
 
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