Eastern Railroad Discussion > 1st Double Stack moves on RF&P RR this A.M., 12-23-16

It's a new day in eastern railroading.

Q135, the first double stack train to operate on CSX's RF&P Subdivision, departed West Acca Wye (Richmond, Va.) geographically northbound at 04:30 today behind CSXT engines 3319 and 3320, beginning a new chapter in railroading here in central Virginia - and through Washington DC (the train will turn west at Hyattville Jct. Wye, in north side Washington DC). The significance wasn't lost on CSX employees: the engineer of a just-arrived southbound, making its setoff at Acca Wye, appeared to be eyeing the northbound double stack train with a look of "hmmm...... the rest of us will soon be running those, too." The stack train, while shorter than what would have been had this all been single-stacked (up until today), was still of a significant length.  This opens new potential for markets that would benefit from double-stacking such traffic, as well as future auto rack trains.  While no such auto rack traffic has started, it's only a matter of time before we see those cars as well moving on the line under Washington, to/from points across CSX that up until today could not have happened due to the former low clerance of the Virgina Ave. Tunnel.  It is expected that, as far as auto racks go, that the first of those may be isolated, single or paired moves to various points in the east, or perhaps empties being relocated for loading.  Up until today, sporadic moves of auto racks on the A-Line (south of Richmond) were restricted to former moves from Collier Yard (NS interchange) southward, with occasional mis-directed cars removed at Acca Yard and sent back south on the first available train.  Not anymore; now such cars can continue throughout the state and under 'D.C. through the newly enlarged tunnel(s).  [The second track, the original Va. Ave. Tunnel, will be enlarged next, creating a double-track mainline under D.C. which will accomodate most excess-height equipment.  When the markets for more double-stack trains, and later auto rack trains, continues to develop, we'll see more of these running north-south through Virginia.

Yes, it's a new day in eastern railroading, indeed.

SEE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,4185117

So does this relieve congestion on the RF&P, or make it worse?

Probably will have no effect since this was an existing train which is just shorter due to the double stacking. In the long run once they begin sending auto racks through here will probably increase the train count.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/23/16 06:27 by RNinRVR.

What is the northern terminous for these stacks?  They still can't go thru the Howard St. tunnel at Baltimore or the tunnel going thru Phila, so they certainly can't reach North Jersey or Selkirk.
Andy

twropr Wrote:
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> What is the northern terminous for these stacks? 
> They still can't go thru the Howard St. tunnel at
> Baltimore or the tunnel going thru Phila, so they
> certainly can't reach North Jersey or Selkirk.

Left turn at Hyattsville, Q135 goes to North Baltimore, Ohio.
 

Good to see CSX entering the 1980's.   BSB

Does this mean less double-stack traffic through Atlanta and Birmingham?

twropr Wrote:
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> What is the northern terminous for these stacks? 
> They still can't go thru the Howard St. tunnel at
> Baltimore or the tunnel going thru Phila, so they
> certainly can't reach North Jersey or Selkirk.
> Andy

​These are export container trains running between Portsmouth, VA and North Baltimore, OH. They are considered east - west trains. Once at Washington they come back around and head west on the Met.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

It went past the Hyndman cam at 3:24 PM.

IIRC, Howard St tunnel had to have a number of adjustments in the late 1980s to handle enclosed auto racks to the new auto ramp built at Twin Oaks (Chester), PA. The first trains ran at the time of my son's birth in March 1987. Until then, the auto racks from the GM plant at Wilsmere DE had to be open on the top deck. Even today, enclosed (roofed) auto racks cannot travel east of Twin Oaks because of a few obstructions between there and the ex-PRR interlocking at Arsenal, PA.; this is less than a dozen miles. However, it is certainly possible CSX could market auto traffic from the many auto plants in the south to Twin Oaks by this new more direct route. But....Twin Oaks is stuffed most of the time. it receives one 95 car train per day and some extras. But there is also an unused facility at the old GM plant in Wilmington. This was also built in the late 1980's and can spot 60 rack cars, IIRC. So there is opportunity for auto traffic thru the new tunnel. Now, going back in history, Had VA Ave and Howard St and the bit around Philly been available for enclosed auto racks about 1987 you could have seen traffic from the GM plants now on CSX after Conrail at Framingham, MA; Tarrytown, NY and Wilmington, DE. Would such a better route south have preserved these plants in the NE? I doubt it; the 'right to work' states in the south would have inevitably won that battle; and politics helped a lot. There may be present moves to Twin Oaks from these southern plants mostly in AL and MS, but routed via Louisville / Cincy/ Ohio and Cumberland east. Time will tell if it warrants a thru CSX autorack train from somewhere in the far southeast to Twin Oaks.  

Thanks for the HU rbx.

Q135-22 westbound at Shenandoah Junction, WV.

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ctillnc Wrote:
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> Does this mean less double-stack traffic through
> Atlanta and Birmingham?

No.