"polybalt"
At one time FRA did have an issue with a direct connection between a railroad and a transit line, but not any more.
My best guess (and its only a guess) is that WMATA removed the rails so they avoid paying a yearly maintenance fee to CSX. Most railroads charge yearly for private sidings unless a minimum number of revenue carloads are shipped in or out. A connection to WMATA would be considered a private siding by CSX. I suspect WMATA said we don't want your blankety-blank siding any more and won't pay for it-- see we took the rails out on our side.
This is the most likely reason.
A second possibility is that someone involved in safety on either side of the derail determined that a signal interlock was required to ensure that the derail was set to derail an errant car. If so it would need periodic testing, etc, and that was too much of a pain in the neck.
None of WMATA connections to the common carrier network had their derails interlock to a signal. The derails were protected with pad locked ground throws. The turnouts had powered point motors that were controlled from the yard tower, or in the case of the Alexandria connection, the local train control room (C98) or central control. The pad locked ground throw still exists at the now unusable Alexandria connection. The rails disappear into the berm outside of the left side of the picture.
A real long shot is that there was a possibility of a return current problem, with stray current returning via CSX rails to the substations nearby rather than WMATA tracks . But I am sure there would be insulated joints on both rails at the connection, and WMATA may earth ground substation return in yard areas to prevent employees getting a tingle every once and awhile. On the mainline, the rails could be up to 40v above local earth ground, while CSX rails will be very close to earth ground. Insulated joints don't normally see that kind of voltage difference from one side to the other
All of the turnouts are insulated, both the turnout on WMATA property and the turnout on the common carriers property.
"strench707"
Also, doesn't Baltimore's light rail have a connection or two to freight lines?
In the case of the Baltimore Central Light Rail there is an FRA waver as freight was moved to various industries along the line when Light Rail line was closed at night. Freight service to industries on both ends of the line in Baltimore County was abandoned several years ago. The the Propane terminal and yard north of the Light Rail shop and yard in Baltimore City I think is still active.
John in the sand box of Maryland's eastern shore.
