Passenger Trains > Position of sleeping cars on the "Crescent" leaving New Orleans

What is the consist make up of the Crescent leaving New Orleans?

3 to 5  coaches (depending on day of week and time of year)
Lounge
Diner
2 sleepers
Baggage

amazing... a long distance east train with a diner

For now.

The Crescent #20 has a horrible on time performance. Typically 2-3 hours late north of Atlanta. It loses time in Mississippi and Alabama. The sleepers were on the rear last week when I was on. Dining car staff was terrific.

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Here's Amtrak 20 crossing the James River north of Lynchburg,VA this morning a little over 2 1/2 hours late.

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That is a terrific shot.  IOTD worthy.   Send a copy to Amtrak.

Where could they use it now that they no longer print timetables or travel planners?

Had never noticed that the bridge was designed to carry a second track. Did it ever? Portions of the second track between Atlanta and Alexandria were pulled up circa 1960 when the line was converted from 2-track directional ABS to track-and-a-half CTC.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/18 09:47 by ctillnc.

Built as double-track, and single-tracked in 1962.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

Thanks. 99% of the time, somebody on TO knows the answer to a question like mine.

The Southern Railway main was double track between Alexandria VA and Atlanta at one time.

Yes. But this may be the only long and high bridge between Atlanta and Alexandria where the deck under the second track was completely removed. More often they left the second deck in place and just removed the rails and ties.

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes. But this may be the only long and high bridge
> between Atlanta and Alexandria where the deck
> under the second track was completely removed.
> More often they left the second deck in place and
> just removed the rails and ties.

Exactly, this must have been an interesting project, let alone a bit expensive to take up the "second" track and its span. Seems that it would have been more work than what it was worth, but obviously there had to be some sort of economic benefit. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ctillnc Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes. But this may be the only long and high
> bridge
> > between Atlanta and Alexandria where the deck
> > under the second track was completely removed.
> > More often they left the second deck in place
> and
> > just removed the rails and ties.
>
> Exactly, this must have been an interesting
> project, let alone a bit expensive to take up the
> "second" track and its span. Seems that it would
> have been more work than what it was worth, but
> obviously there had to be some sort of economic
> benefit. 

This is one bridge that will "Never" be double tracked again.  Immediately south of the bridge, in the hill in the background of the photo, is a tunnel that was also once double tracked.  It is now single track for double stacks (probably originally for trailers on flat cars and auto racks) and would be enormously expensive to double track again.  Perhaps that is why the deck was removed.

The Tye River Bridge was destroyed by Hurricane Camille in 1969, and re-built as single track.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

Fortunately for NCDOT, when they restored all the second track between Greensboro and Charlotte, the only large bridge is over the Yadkin River near Spencer... and the second track had remained active there.