mtuandrew wrote: ↑Sun Dec 29, 2019 1:27 pm
I wonder whether the SEHSR project will straighten the curves between LaCrosse and Dinwiddie when rebuilding, or leave the original alignment intact. South of there has lots of tangent track, north is the relatively short segment to active rail at Collier Yard. Related, I’m interested in seeing what grade separation happens.
I am very curious about this too.
The initial thought on the S-line was to go all the way - build it as a high speed route, with no grade crossings, and no curve slower than 110mph. Really, grade crossings are allowed at 110mph, and frequencies are not likely to be so high as to be disruptive to traffic; the only reason to pursue full grade separation would be if they actually have their eye on going faster than 110mph in the future. At any rate, they have full environmental clearance to start acquiring property and get this under construction as soon as possible.
That said, there's no money to build it. So, lately, I've heard more discussion of opening the route mostly at-grade, with fewer curve changes, and with a 79mph top speed. The idea would be to get it running ASAP and then incrementally upgrade it by straightening curves.
Regardless, NCDOT has been pursuing grade separations along the line near Raleigh. Four of them (New Hope Church Road, Millbrook Road, Durant Road, and Rogers Road) are funded and planned to begin construction within the next two years. The stated reasoning for this is to clear the decks for passenger trains, both commuter and high speed.