Emergency Railroad Bridge Inspections

This short, focused course prepares MOW employees, managers, and infrastructure personnel to support emergency railroad bridge inspections with confidence. Participants will gain essential knowledge of bridge components, inspection terminology, and emergency-specific damage patterns. By learning how to document and relay critical observations, they become vital links in the rapid response chain that protects rail operations and public safety.

• Bridge engineers, inspectors, and supervisors involved in railroad infrastructure.
• MOW employees, railroad managers, and contractors who may be first on-site during emergencies.
• Consultants and agency personnel seeking foundational knowledge in emergency bridge response.

For a more comprehensive learning experience on the topic of railroad bridge inspections it is recommended you take our Fundamentals of Railroad Bridge Inspection course. Through classroom training and a hands-on field trip, you will learn about the inspector's responsibilities, compliance with regulations (FRA 214 and FRA 237), training requirements, and the different types of inspections (with the focus on periodic inspections). Timber, steel, concrete, moveable bridges, and culverts are covered.

Introduction

Bridge Phsyics and Nomenclature

Regulations

General Procedures

Flood Inspection

Fire Inspection

Collision Inspection

Earthquake Inspection

Documentation 

Peter Schierloh

Peter Schierloh, PE, is a seasoned railroad bridge engineer with over two decades of experience in the field. He currently serves as a Project Engineer at SW Bridge Engineers, LLC in DeForest, Wisconsin, a role he has held since the firm’s inception in 2007. Peter specializes in the inspection, design, and rating of railroad bridges across the United States. Prior to this, he worked with E80 Plus Constructors, LLC, managing railroad bridge construction projects. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1996. Peter is a licensed Professional Engineer in multiple states and actively contributes to the industry as a member of AREMA Committee 10.