future electrification routes?

David Benton wrote:

Greg Moore wrote:We (the currently 20-70 year old generation) may be the last of the "Petrolheads".
We (the currently 20-70 year old generation) may be the last of the "Petrolheads".

I hope so. The current situation is quite serious. The CO2 content of the atmosphere is rising to what we ought to consider a damaging level. Remember the recent storm in the Philippines. That is the sort of event which will become more frequent.

KEN PATRICK wrote: look to the facts. 'global warming' is a joke. ken patrick

It's not a laugh.

george matthews wrote:

David Benton wrote:

Greg Moore wrote:We (the currently 20-70 year old generation) may be the last of the "Petrolheads".
We (the currently 20-70 year old generation) may be the last of the "Petrolheads".

I hope so. The current situation is quite serious. The CO2 content of the atmosphere is rising to what we ought to consider a damaging level. Remember the recent storm in the Philippines. That is the sort of event which will become more frequent.

Note somehow I got caught in that quote, it's not mine.

Today I learned JR Freight unloads containers under catenary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfb8x0tn7xY

RandallW wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 2:12 pm Today I learned JR Freight unloads containers under catenary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfb8x0tn7xY

Do we know if the wire was alive by time front section left and the start of unloading ?

west point wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 1:25 am

RandallW wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 2:12 pm Today I learned JR Freight unloads containers under catenary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfb8x0tn7xY

Do we know if the wire was alive by time front section left and the start of unloading ?

I have no information one way or the other.

Interesting... although what I would do is back a double-stack train into an unloading siding where electric freight engines can connect up and pull the whole consist through to unload a group at a time.

Possible? Yes.

RandallW wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 2:12 pm Today I learned JR Freight unloads containers under catenary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfb8x0tn7xY

That's a single stack co0ntainer car they are unloading, not a double stack.

Agreed, and under the gauge that Japan runs to boot. For us 'MURRICAN!s (sorry, had to properly spell "Americans") we'll need a system to unload double-stacks under the caternary... and to do it quickly and cheaply means pushing the train under a crane lift that has no caternary on it.

Or hang the live wire high enough so that they can grab an double stack container from an train, without touching the live overhead catenary.

SRich wrote: ↑Wed Feb 22, 2023 10:23 am Or hang the live wire high enough so that they can grab an double stack container from an train, without touching the live overhead catenary.

Or have battery electric switchers for the yard that the unloading is done from, to avoid wires all together.

The AAR and class 1s have been fighting electrifcation.. with faulty data.
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/02/20/as ... ification/

There is exactly one route in Maryland that deserves to be electrified: the Pope's Creek Subdivision, and only as far as Upper Marlboro, and only if a considerable portion of the electrified mileage is double track. There's nowhere else in Maryland where electrification makes any sense at all.

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:47 am There is exactly one route in Maryland that deserves to be electrified: the Pope's Creek Subdivision, and only as far as Upper Marlboro, and only if a considerable portion of the electrified mileage is double track. There's nowhere else in Maryland where electrification makes any sense at all.

You mean after it's rebuilt to class 4 passenger standards, with some grade crossings eliminated ? Since the plant closed, there's little freight traffic. I bet CSX will be selling it to the state, soon. I'd say, electrify to waldorf, or laplata.

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:24 pm

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:47 am There is exactly one route in Maryland that deserves to be electrified: the Pope's Creek Subdivision, and only as far as Upper Marlboro, and only if a considerable portion of the electrified mileage is double track. There's nowhere else in Maryland where electrification makes any sense at all.

You mean after it's rebuilt to class 4 passenger standards, with some grade crossings eliminated ? Since the plant closed, there's little freight traffic. I bet CSX will be selling it to the state, soon. I'd say, electrify to waldorf, or laplata.

The problem with going any further to Waldorf or La Plata is that the rail route isn't competitive with driving up MD Route 5 to the Branch Avenue Metrorail station. A hypothetical MARC service from Waldorf to D.C would have to go a long way to the north before it could go southwest into the District; the only thing it would provide is traffic relief for commuters to Bowie or Annapolis; anyone going to D.C. or Baltimore would either drive to Branch Avenue or continue to fight their way along US 301 to US 50 and MD Route 3.

In my opinion, Upper Marlboro is far enough south to offer meaningful non-car route mileage for commuters to D.C. or Baltimore, while also providing useful service to a catchment area that has to deal with significant traffic to reach Metrorail, MARC or Amtrak stations. But it has to be rebuilt like you specified, widened to double track and electrified before it would make any sense; in my opinion a diesel MARC service would struggle mightily to attract any significant ridership because it would be perceived as slow.