Odd bridge track

[nkalanaga]

The article has nothing to do with track design, but this picture caught my eye.  I've seen plenty of both kinds of tie plates and rail fasteners, but not on the same track.  Any ideas why NS did it this way?



https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/virginia-ctb-approves-new-rail-spur-at-hershey-chocolate-facility/?RAchannel=news
Virginia CTB Approves New Rail Spur at Hershey Chocolate Facility
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor

[wazzou]

As closely as the ties are spaced, it almost looks like they just added ties, either with the Pandrol Clips or the traditionally spiked ones.
Just conjecture though.

[nkalanaga]

That could be, although most open-deck (not ballasted) bridges I've seen have the ties that close together.  And, since the article is about a new spur being built, I would assume that this is new track.

Also, it looks like the normal gaps between the ties have been filled with narrower boards, as though they didn't want any gaps at all.

I just noticed that some of the ties have bolts just inside the guard timbers, and all of those are in the Pandrol clipped ties. 

[Lenny53]

The ties with the traditional spikes seem newer, wonder if they laid a ready made section then added ties to it.

[nkalanaga]

Panel track as bridge track?  For a newly-laid spur that would actually make sense.  I think you might have the answer.

I wonder if the Padrol-clipped ties were the original, and they couldn't get those large plates under  the rails easily for the replacement ties?  The smaller spiked plates would be much easier to hold in place while a tie was slid under them.