Eastern Railroad Discussion > New Capital interlockings may go in Sunday...

Coming in today it really looks like they are almost ready to do the final major installation on Harrisburg's new NS interlockings that are replacing CP-Capital. This is part of the double-tracking from CP-Harris(end of the Pittsburgh Line) to the Harrisburg Line. All signals are up, ballast has been lain on the new #1 track, its been aligned, just need to swing the single track over just east of the road bridge, take out connect it to the end of Hbg line #1, and activate the new crossovers east of 13th street. Basically CP-Capital has been broken up into 3 interlockings, one at end of the wye. New track #2 off of the Roy Branch is ballasted and aligned, up to the switch for the Lurgan wye, which is attached but askew slightly(can't put inline until they tear up the existing interlocking). New switch from new #2 to Paxton Street branch is sitting to the side, in 2 pieces, along with panel track to bridge the gaps. New flashers for the Post Office crossing are in(here's wondering if some of those overseas Florida ballots get lost "coincidentally" by some Postal Union member. Already have complaints from servicemen around the world that they never got their ballots, I'm sure its just one of those many, many "coincidences" of the last 8 years.). New crossing alignment of the Post Office road connecting the 2 parking lots is not yet in, but the new lot expansion is. Would guess the new crossing will go in between now and Monday.

Cutover of the 3 new interlockings and the major track changes will make for an arduous Sunday and Monday, would not be surprised if we see an 8+ hour traffic curfew. Would guess they will first put online the 13th street interlocking and flip the single track over to new #1. This will allow them to move traffic while cutting in 2 new switches, some grade changes, and 2 new interlockings. It may be a few more weeks, but it sure looks like there just isn't much more to do. Crews have been out there almost every day I went by for weeks.

Sorry, I couldn't resist that header. Anyway, will the completion of this project mean that the double tracking project NS has wanted to do to eliminate bottlenecks in through Harrisburg finally be done? Or will still more work be required?

I'm curious because that was one of two major blockages (the other lay between Columbus and Bellevue) that NS had stated was impeding the flow of trains on the post-Conrail system.

Thanks for the informative post. And thanks for your reply.

--Billio

Yes, this will complete the double-tracking of the bottleneck. Just drove by there this morning, and the liberation has begun! Single track is still in place, but they have already started ripping out the switch to go south on the Lurgan wye or to the Paxton Street branch. Now doing the grading, may take a bit. My guess is that they will have the new interlocking off the Roy Branch in service tonite, so they can run trains down the Lurgan from the Pittsburgh Line, and flip the single-track over to make new #1 & new #2 tomorrow. Or they may just run Lurgan trains into the Rutherford siding and reverse the engines for tonite, until its all done. Definitely will be finished by Monday night.

Unfortunately for me, stupid pager will go off before I can see much more of the work.

Any word on if they're going to make a through track around the fuel pad? I remember reading somewhere that that'd be part of the project. Good to see NS is finally reversing one of Conrail's asinine, self-created bottlenecks.

Word also has it that both 21M (TVLA) and 25K will be routed over the Tier on Sunday and Monday so that they will not be affected by construction windows at CP Capitol (soon to be relocated and CP Paxton added). We came through late this afternoon, and most of the prep work for the cutover was done. The work gang was dropping the final panel tracks in place for their installation on Sunday...