Passenger Trains > Roanoke's Amtrak Servicing Track Under Construction

Work began September 6 on the new servicing track and facility in Roanoke, Virginia, for the coming extension of Amtrak's present Lynchburg train, expected in the Fall of 2017.  The location is about one half mile south of the Campbell Avenue wye in downtown Roanoke, where the train will be turned.  Roadbed construction is almost complete south of Albemarle Avenue to near JK interlocking, the crossing between NS's Winston-Salem and former Virginian lines.  No track has been laid.  The main line switch will be north of Albemarle Avenue but has yet to be installed, on the Winston-Salem line, which is now single track but was once double track in this area.  Construction has not started on the new high level platform, to be located in downtown Roanoke near the present bus terminal and on the south side of the NS main lines in this area, on the opposite side from the former Norfolk and Western Railway passenger station, now the O. Winston Link Museum.

Jim

Very excited about this happeneing.   I have done the Lynchburg, Roanoke bus connection a couple times and was very impressed, but a direct train over Blue Ridge is even better.  I think I need to go on Googlemaps to follow all of this.  Thanks for the update.

Surely, the J will pull the inaugural train from Roanoke to Lynchburg. 

Jimbo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Work began September 6 on the new servicing track
> and facility in Roanoke, Virginia, for the coming
> extension of Amtrak's present Lynchburg train,
> expected in the Fall of 2017.  The location is
> about one half mile south of the Campbell Avenue
> wye in downtown Roanoke, where the train will be
> turned.  Roadbed construction is almost complete
> south of Albemarle Avenue to near JK interlocking,
> the crossing between NS's Winston-Salem and former
> Virginian lines.  No track has been laid.  The
> main line switch will be north of Albemarle Avenue
> but has yet to be installed, on the Winston-Salem
> line, which is now single track but was once
> double track in this area.  Construction has not
> started on the new high level platform, to be
> located in downtown Roanoke near the present bus
> terminal and on the south side of the NS main
> lines in this area, on the opposite side from the
> former Norfolk and Western Railway passenger
> station, now the O. Winston Link Museum.
>
> Jim

i have to assume a new platform track will be installed at the bus terminal on the south side of the interlocking ... i can.t see a station platform in the middle of the interlocking ... is it going to be adjacent to Norfolk Ave ??? ... and it that's the case it looks like a reverse move will have to be made into and out of the plaform track ...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/16 11:22 by Out_Of_Service.

(Snip)

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i have to assume a new platform track will be
> installed at the bus terminal on the south side of
> the interlocking ... i can.t see a station
> platform in the middle of the interlocking ... is
> it going to be adjacent to Norfolk Ave ??? ... and
> it that's the case it looks like a reverse move
> will have to be made into and out of the plaform
> track ...

Yes, there is supposed to be a new platform track on the south side of the main tracks, adjacent to Norfolk Avenue.  After arriving from Lynchburg the train will deadhead back east the short distance to the Campbell Avenue wye, then south to the servicing facility.  There were earlier plans to have the platform track open at both ends to facilitate a future extension of the train to the New River Valley but I don't know if this is still in the works.  Perhaps Mr.Michael can weigh in with more information on this project.

Jim

I appreciate this update and look forward to more in the future.  
I need to study a map to follow along, though!
RichS

Jimbo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Work began September 6 on the new servicing track
> and facility in Roanoke, Virginia, for the coming
> extension of Amtrak's present Lynchburg train,
> expected in the Fall of 2017.  The location is
> about one half mile south of the Campbell Avenue
> wye in downtown Roanoke, where the train will be
> turned.  Roadbed construction is almost complete
> south of Albemarle Avenue to near JK interlocking,
> the crossing between NS's Winston-Salem and former
> Virginian lines.  No track has been laid.  The
> main line switch will be north of Albemarle Avenue
> but has yet to be installed, on the Winston-Salem
> line, which is now single track but was once
> double track in this area.  Construction has not
> started on the new high level platform, to be
> located in downtown Roanoke near the present bus
> terminal and on the south side of the NS main
> lines in this area, on the opposite side from the
> former Norfolk and Western Railway passenger
> station, now the O. Winston Link Museum.
>
> Jim