Eastern Railroad Discussion > Track work in La Grange, KY

The entire Main Street of La Grange has been shut down to automobile traffic since yesterday, including Highway 53 that crosses Main.  CSX is removing the old rail in the first picture, the new rail is lying to the side. 

In the second picture they are installing the new rail. 

Thanks to Virtual Railfan for these great shots from the cameras they operate in La Grange.

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Wow - You'd maybe think they would center the tracks a bit more to eliminate the very close clearance on one side, but looks like that was not considered. Anyway, whattamess! === === = === JLH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/11/20 20:55 by highgreengraphics.

utilities may prevent that

Also if you get off the hard pan under the roadbed it will cause track surface issues.

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Wow neat!  Bet the Cincinnati-Louisville B&O/PRR routing via Seymour was busy during this.  Thanks for sharing.

highgreengraphics Wrote:
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> Wow - You'd maybe think they would center the
> tracks a bit motre to eliminate the very close
> clearance on one side, but looks like that was not
> considered. Anyway, whattamess! === === = === JLH

Once upon a time, many years ago, it was a double track through town.  I don't know when they took out the second track.  I remember going through there on the L&N in the late 50s and early 60s.  I have asked a few of the old-timers in town and they confirmed, there used to be blue lights on each side of the street that would flash when a train would go through there.  Anyway, I guess they took up the rails on one side of the street and just left the other where it was.  By being on one side, you can still drive the other side of the street even when a train is passing.  You can park your car on the side of the street with the track and when a train passes, you can put one hand on your car and reach out and touch the passing rain with the other hand.  

They restored service through town this evening.  Part of it is on the old track and part on the new track.  I was there yesterday for lunch and they sure had the town divided.  They had some pretty good detour signs up to help you get across the tracks.  It seems that most businesses are still open on Main Street.

John 

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Nice.. I should be heading down in May.....

Funny thing, I was thinking about how and when CSX maintained the street trackage. I saw where a town recently ripped up a major artery and rebuild all utilities and the street itself. The cause was from when the interurban tracks were pulled out the ties that were all left in place were rotting and the heavy truck traffic beat the old road beyond repair. Those rails were pulled in the early Fifties.
Thanks for the post.
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