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Civil Engineering/Swing Bridge with electric trolley car access

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Expert: - 2/16/2009


Question

Swing Bridge at Libau,
My ancestors were from Libau, Latvia.  Around the turn of the century a
Swing Bridge was used that spanned across the commercial harbor. The
bridge was open to pedestrian, horse drawn carts and Electric Trolley Cars.  
The trolley cars accessed overhead electric cables to power the trolley cars.

My question is; when the swing bridge was rotated 90 degrees, so ships
could navigate through the opening on both sides of the swing bridge, how
did the ships clear the overhead electric cables for the trolley cars?

Answer
Hi Arnold,

Not knowing the details, these are the possibilities:

1. The overhead cables were high enough to allow ships through, or
2. The overhead cables had junction boxes into which the swing bridge cables slid in/out of, or
3. The power was supplied by deck-level rails/cables, which would then connect the same way as 2 above?
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 8Clarity of Response = 9Politeness = 10
    CommentAfter reviewing your answers, I believe answer #2 is the one that I would choose!


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Arshad Khan

Expertise

I can answer any questions to do with civil and structural engineering consultancy and construction industry in East Africa and the Middle East, and specifically with the analysis and design of reinforced concrete structures. My particular expertise is in the aseismic design and optimisation of tall buildings.

Experience

Employment history: 36 years in Construction and consultancy in the UK, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Africa, Somalia, Zambia, Austria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Doha and the U.A.E.

Organizations
.Fellow of Institution of Structural Engineers (UK) .Fellow of Institution of Civil Engineers(UK) .Member of the Institution of Engineers, Kenya .Registered Engineer, ERB, Kenya .Member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (Engineers Chapter) .Chartered Engineer (UK)

Publications
•1984: International Conference on the Art and Practice of Structural Design, London •1994: 3rd Int. Kerensky Conference in Structural Engineering, Singapore •2008: International Conference on High-Rise Towers, Abu Dhabi

Education/Credentials
BSc, 1st Class Hons, in Building Engineering, University of Bath, UK MSc in Concrete Structures and Technology, University of London. Diploma of Imperial College, UK.

Awards and Honors
•Science Congress Special Award (for 2-seater Hovercraft - 1968) •Institution of Civil Engineers Award for outstanding performance at Bath University (1975) •Concrete Society Postgraduate study Bursary Award (1976) •Consular Representative for British High Commission, Nairobi. (1995 to 1998) •Examiner for Institution of Civil Engineers Professional Interviews, Nairobi. (1997 to 1998) •Branch Representative in Vienna for PI assessment for Inst. of Struct. Engrs. (1999 to date)

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