Eastern Railroad Discussion > Double-Stacks to start 12-23-16 on CSX thru Washington DC

From another website comes this "heads up" notice: "....keep an eye out tomorrow for Commonwealth Railway [in Suffolk, Va.] bringing out Q135 to CSX. The train may have full doublestacks for the run Friday through the new Virginia Ave tunnel opening Friday the 23rd."

Field sightings will be necessary to confirm this is indeed the start-up of DOUBLE STACKS (and presumably auto rack trains, too -- according to CSX officials) as early as THIS FRIDAY (Dec. 23, 2016), as the first of two enlarged tunnels under Washington, DC ("Virginia Ave. Tunnel") is ready and is to open for the first-ever double stack trains on this particular rail line.

Also see: http://www.virginiaavenuetunnel.com/project-plan

Who can confirm any more details on this strategic opening of the tunnel and the entire north-south rail line (RF&P Subdivision and the A-Line) to double stack and auto rack trains as of this week?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/16 13:41 by rbx551985.

rbx551985 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Field sightings will be necessary to confirm this
> is indeed the start-up of DOUBLE STACKS (and
> presumably auto rack trains, too -- according to
> CSX officials) as early as THIS FRIDAY (Dec. 23,
> 2016), as the first of two enlarged tunnels under
> Washington, DC ("Virginia Ave. Tunnel") is ready
> and is to open for the first-ever double stack
> trains on this particular rail line.
>

Unless this is the SECOND of two enlarged tunnels to be ready, I'd think there's a potential clearance problem here.
 

David, 

There was only one tunnel before. So they built the new tunnel first which obviously has clearance and then will go back and rebuild the old tunnel afterwards.

Bruce

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rbx551985 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Field sightings will be necessary to confirm
> this
> > is indeed the start-up of DOUBLE STACKS (and
> > presumably auto rack trains, too -- according
> to
> > CSX officials) as early as THIS FRIDAY (Dec.
> 23,
> > 2016), as the first of two enlarged tunnels
> under
> > Washington, DC ("Virginia Ave. Tunnel") is
> ready
> > and is to open for the first-ever double stack
> > trains on this particular rail line.
> >
>
> Unless this is the SECOND of two enlarged tunnels
> to be ready, I'd think there's a potential
> clearance problem here.
>  

Pretty sure they will do some test runs before turning a train loose.

Posted from iPhone

I guess that means that Q135 & Q136,  which have been monster trains in the past few months,  will be double-stack over Sand Patch......fairly soon?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/16 03:29 by cinder.

Curiously, I did not think all the other obstacles thru Montgomery County had been dealt with yet, but I may be wrong.  Any comments?

The Baltimore tunnel would create a problem......?

Posted from Android

I knew that had not been dealt with.  I was only considering the midwest trains going to the south.

OK, that explains it. I take it, when they're done there will be two parallel, single-track tunnels?

brfriedm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> David, 
>
> There was only one tunnel before. So they built
> the new tunnel first which obviously has clearance
> and then will go back and rebuild the old tunnel
> afterwards.
>
> Bruce
>
> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > rbx551985 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Field sightings will be necessary to confirm
> > this
> > > is indeed the start-up of DOUBLE STACKS (and
> > > presumably auto rack trains, too -- according
> > to
> > > CSX officials) as early as THIS FRIDAY (Dec.
> > 23,
> > > 2016), as the first of two enlarged tunnels
> > under
> > > Washington, DC ("Virginia Ave. Tunnel") is
> > ready
> > > and is to open for the first-ever double
> stack
> > > trains on this particular rail line.
> > >
> >
> > Unless this is the SECOND of two enlarged
> tunnels
> > to be ready, I'd think there's a potential
> > clearance problem here.
> >  

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OK, that explains it. I take it, when they're done
> there will be two parallel, single-track tunnels?

That's what CSX's plan shows it to be; 1st tunnel (the new one) opens first, then the old one goes through an enlargement to complement the newer one .... and presto:  DOUBLE TRACK through D.C. with double-stack and auto rack clearance all the way from north to south, and vice-versa.

No osbtacles left in Montgomery County, the last obstacle was the Washington Grove Bridge which was increased in height when it was rebuilt and the track bed lowered as well in that area. They already run multi-levels on those trains which are approxinmately the same height as the stacks. There is also double stacked trash to the trash plant.

The other bridge at Georgetown Jct, will also handle seeing stack traffic under it. Q138 used to have stacks to Baltimore back in the day as well.

The high car detector at Slaters Lane Interlocking was raised for doublestacks yesterday.
Was told stacks will run on Fridat.

Confirmed by multiple sources, double stacks are set, and ready to head through the tunnel tomorrow. As for auto-racks, i'm not sure about them yet. Double stacks can go through DC and turn west (as Q135, 136, and 130 do), however they can not go north just yet (Q032, Q034, 033 and 031) due to the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore not having the clearance. Rumors are floating around out there that Howard Street is the next clearance project CSX will tackle in a push for a good North/South route for double stacks (N. Bergen, NJ, or even the new Q192/193 service to Montreal south to Jacksonville, FL). 

I'm confused. ....what stack trains will run between Acca and Cumberland?

Posted from Android

If the new Virginia Ave tunnel is opened for high cube double stack it can clear enclosed multilevel auto rack cars from other CSX routes in the south htat can handle them to Baltimore and north to the very active auto ramp at Twin Oaks, PA (Chester). They cannot go fruther than that becuse short Boone tunnel in Darby, PA., which has not been cleared for 19'0 enclosed auto racks. No double stacked intermodal cars can go fruther north than the south side of Baltimore. That is because Howard St tunnel in Balto can accept 19'0 auto racks, and has for years, but not double stacked ('6 high intermodal boxes in  well cars which require 20'2 inchies high on the load and require some distance above that for safe clearance based on each railroad's standards; 20'6 inches would be a very minimum.  

mp208 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm confused. ....what stack trains will run
> between Acca and Cumberland?
>
> Posted from Android

Q135 / Q136.

The first Q135 double stack cleared Acca yard in Richmond north bound just before 5 am 12/23 with 2 ET44AH's in charge. This is a west bound train which goes north on the RF&P sub.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

Train has cleared the Fredericksburg, VA station at 0625 with ET44's #3319 and #3320; both are very clean, and the first 6 or so stacks are CSX company containers.

Posted from iPhone