(PROJECT) Boulder Bridge

[jacobi]

In the TW article, they made no mention of trolley tracks.  Did we get hosed?

[BKDotCom]

In the TW article, they made no mention of trolley tracks.  Did we get hosed?

Never has been any mention of trolley tracks..    It has been mentioned as a "trolley route" (bus).

[Red Arrow]

Never has been any mention of trolley tracks..    It has been mentioned as a "trolley route" (bus).

Then it should have been called a bus route.

[Red Arrow]

Steel mills are backed up.  Amazing item of news.  Sounds like the Asian economy is running along better than some would want us to think.  Sucks having to wait for steel - maybe they should hire some more people to work those mills!

[heironymouspasparagus]

I don't know who you work for, but I would bet that your company also has a backlog.  Probably better than 6 months, and quite possibly a year or better.  (If you are waiting on Asian steel, then maybe should think about buying some US made product.)

[Red Arrow]

I don't know who you work for, but I would bet that your company also has a backlog.  Probably better than 6 months, and quite possibly a year or better.  (If you are waiting on Asian steel, then maybe should think about buying some US made product.)

We are not involved in any large quantities of steel.   How many large steel mills are there still in the USA?  Is it a matter of hiring or building new mills?

[heironymouspasparagus]

We are not involved in any large quantities of steel.   How many large steel mills are there still in the USA?  Is it a matter of hiring or building new mills?

Basically only two.  US Steel and Nucor.

What a pathetic state of affairs that is!  Remember the old Bob Seger song - Making Thunderbirds! ?  Makes me sick to dwell on it too much...
Lucky if you work...

Reminder;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CW5GRilRyE

[Oil Capital]

Basically only two.  US Steel and Nucor.

What a pathetic state of affairs that is!  Remember the old Bob Seger song - Making Thunderbirds! ?  Makes me sick to dwell on it too much...
Lucky if you work...

Reminder;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CW5GRilRyE

Those are steel companies, not mills.  Each has more than one mill.  Other companies have mills in the US as well.  Further, because of advances in technology, steel mills no longer need to be the large behemoths of the past.  Wikipedia lists 65 facilities under the category of "ironworks and steel mills".

[heironymouspasparagus]

Those are steel companies, not mills.  Each has more than one mill.  Other companies have mills in the US as well.  Further, because of advances in technology, steel mills no longer need to be the large behemoths of the past.  Wikipedia lists 65 facilities under the category of "ironworks and steel mills".

There are a ton of smaller places - a lot of them are specialty steels suppliers.  Can find about anything 'ya want here in this country.  Just a little more looking around to find it.
Almost as tough as finding a good antique absinthe glass - can be done, but gotta work for it.

[rdj]

I've had many local manufacturers and wholesalers tell me the steel imported from Asia is greatly inferior to American or even Canadian steel.  The North American made steel is much harder and pure.

[Red Arrow]

I've had many local manufacturers and wholesalers tell me the steel imported from Asia is greatly inferior to American or even Canadian steel.  The North American made steel is much harder and pure.

I've been told by a retired manufacturing person that the Chineese can make good stuff.  It's just not the stuff we buy for bargain basement prices.  Maybe steel is in the same situation.  They can make good stuff but we "want" the cheap stuff.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I've been told by a retired manufacturing person that the Chineese can make good stuff.  It's just not the stuff we buy for bargain basement prices.  Maybe steel is in the same situation.  They can make good stuff but we "want" the cheap stuff.

They can be as world class as anyone.  But they start low and work their way up.  Example from previous life; talked to place in China about building some electrical switchgear.  First sample - cheesiest piece of crap you could imagine.  Wire that was at least 5 gauges undersized for the voltage/current.  Sloppy assembly, improper insulation on all gear, improper panels to isolate hi/low voltage.  All this even with detailed spec in hand.  Denied.

Second iteration;  correct size wiring, all other problems intact.  Denied.

Third iteration;  upgraded most of the other issues.  Still denied.

Fourth iteration;  UL standard compliant.  Issued PO.  Almost 10 months later.

Got to watch them like a hawk and NEVER be satisfied with less than exactly what you want/need/require.  Pain in the backside process.  Worth it??  No, not in my opinion.  Spent more in engineering time than would save in over 6 years of production - for a 3 to 4 year product life device.  (Saving was about $55 per unit - 150 to 175 units per year or $9625 max.)  These sell for about $900 each, with about $425 or 480 cost depending on where built.  Plus costing one assembly person a big part of a job.

[BKDotCom]

It would appear construction / demo-work has begun.

[sgrizzle]

There is also streetscaping going on to the south, I can only assume to make it flow smoothly into the new pedestrian areas on the bridge.

[BKDotCom]

There is also streetscaping going on to the south, I can only assume to make it flow smoothly into the new pedestrian areas on the bridge.

I'm kinda under the impression that whatever's going on with the streetscaping on 1st street and around that 1st & Boulder parking lot is unrelated.   Perhaps more related to the parking-garage expansion project.   There was some other thread regarding what's going on / who's behind it.  City, private, who knows.