Western Railroad Discussion > Santa Fe Jct. flyover?

Last year BNSF had a press release about a new flyover at Santa Fe Junction in KC. The expected completion time was about 2 years, any updates on its peogress?

I haven't been down to Santa Fe JCT since August but when I was there, there was a lot of work being done on the existing flyover and grading done on the southeast hill side. Also, they've posted "No Trespassing" signs so the usual crowd that hangs out down there has been scattered. Check with Tom Stolte @ Odd Ball Decals. He would have more details.

Lots of progress.

All of the concrete supports for the bridgework are done mostly. Steel should be rising soon for the first spans.

Grading is being done on the west approach, not a simple matter given the instability of the hillsdie and the huge amount of spoil to be removed. Also a sewer line has to moved and this can't be done until the grading is well along so they have to work around that.

On the east side of the junction, the new bridge over Southwest Boulevard was opened a few weeks ago, and the grading and supporting walls for the earthwork is for the most part complete.

Work continues on the "highline" portion of the project, with renewal of the bridgework about done. MofW was hard at it last week dumping rock and surfacing the replaced second track, the first was finished a few months ago. It had been single tracked in the early '80s as a cost cutting move. Little matter now as it would all have been removed for the rebuilding anyway. Signal work is mostly what remains when the trackwork is done. Two main tracks will once again grace the structure, with operation at 30mph rather than 10. That hinges mainly on the UP completing upgrade of their track at the two connections on the western end of the mile long highline leading to the Marysville and Falls City Subs. That could take awhile....

Track reconfiguration at the Penn interlocking on the east end is done, nothing has begun yet on the west end where the flyover will tie into the BNSF Emporia Sub. That will be a rather simple matter though, as from what I've heard there will no interlocking at the west end, rather just tie into BNSF mains 1 & 2, sending those two tracks up the flyover, and use the present alignment to the 12th street interlocking.

Will try to swipe the neighbors digicam tomorrow and post some shots.

PH

Here is a September 11th view of construction area looking west.
As Pumpkin Hogger said there has been more completed since this photo was taken.
Inspector Gadget

This photo shows the flyover grade descending off the bluff from the left down and behind the GP-30 that got in the way as it was departing eastbound from Argentine Yard. Santa Fe Jct is just behind the camera view.
Inspector Gadget

Southwest Blvd is completed with the track work. Penn Ave is long from being finished which it still needs are two mains cut in and the bluffs line cut in. I hope you know the differences between the two locations. I don't want to be meeting someone on the terminal that doesn't know where they are at.

Any word on the fate of the pneumatic switch machines around the interlocking?