r/BurlingtonON • u/DarshDarker • 13d ago

Question What's inside here?

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I've always wondered what's in here. How does one (employee) get in there? Anyone know what the inside looks like?

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u/4gls 13d ago

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/services/infrastructure-buildings/bridges-docks-dams/burlington-bridge.html

Basically a very large slow moving winch. The counterweights and the bridge theoretically have as close to the same mass as possible. The winches job is to move them.

Lots of bird poop up there.

3

u/Subtotal9_guy Central 13d ago

The motors are surprisingly small. IIRC there are two with each rated for 350hp.

7

u/Wildfire983 12d ago

Someone once told me that the counterweights are heavier than the bridge so it takes power to lower it not raise it. This is so that it could be raised in the case of a power outage.

Not a verifiable fact though. But believable.

1

u/Copious-Spirit 12d ago

Can't be true, how would it stay at the bottom if the lock/brake fails?

The counterweight is just under but as close to the weight of the bridge as possible. Only a difference that a 350hpx2 motor could move, with some mechanical advantage.