questions about B&O Met

[dynamiter]

I have a couple questions - can anyone explain the following:

1. I've heard a little about a "tonnage rule" for WB freights operating down the long Barnesville 1% grade.
Is there a max permitted speed i.e. 35 mph, and what is the tonnage threshold for the speed restriction?

2. What's the latest info on CSX clearance work along the ROW to enable double stacks? Is it true that
MOW is working from E from Cumberland, raising and/or daylighting tunnels? What if any work is going
to be done along the Met sub b/t Brunswick and QN? For instance, there is a one-lane highway overpass
with low clearance at Wash Grove. I assume this will be raised? A local RR fan told me that CSX was going
to drop the grade instead...I just have a hard time believing that one!

Thanks!

[mmi16]

The National Gateway project is in progress. The ultimate aim of this project is to enable the movement of 20 foot 2 inch double stacks from Baltimore and Portsmouth, VA to Chicago and all points West.

At present the 20 foot 2 inch double stacks can be handled from Chicago to the ramp at Chambersburg, PA; all the clearance work West of Cherry Run, WV on the Cumberland Sub has been completed. Work East of Cherry Run is still progressing. The biggest parts of the overall project will be building an Intermodal facility West of the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore and double tracking and raising the clearance of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel in the District to handle the double stacks. The aim is to have the projects completed before the expansion of the Panama Canal is completed. Time will tell.

[strench707]

To begin work this month:
(west to east)

CUMBERLAND SUB:

- Raising the Winchester & Western Overhead Bridge in Martinsburg, WV

- Undercutting and lowering track under Norfolk Southern's H-Line Overhead Bridge at Shenandoah Junction, WV

- Notching Harpers Ferry Tunnel at Sandy Hook, MD

METROPOLITAN SUB:

- Total Arch Liner replacement at Catoctin Tunnel (just East of Brunswick, MD)

- Total Arch Liner replacement at Point of Rocks Tunnel, MD.

- Germantown Station Pedestrian Bridge, MD. TBD. Most likely will raise bridge.

- Deer Park Road Overhead Bridge at Washington Grove, MD. TBD. Most likely replace bridge and rework intersection.



Currently on the CAPITAL SUBDIVISION they are double tracking from the Hyattesville Wye to just North of the Rt. 50 bridge.
Each leg of the wye will become a main. Currently they are creating the abutments for a second span across the branch of the Anacostia just South of the wye. The defect detector has also been moved to South of 295.

There will be crossovers just south of Tanglewood Dr.

The rock plant will also be receiving a long lead so that the rock trains can work the plant without fouling either mains. Currently if you travel to the 52nd Avenue crossing you will notice that there are three tracks there now which looks vastly different than just the one.

Also of National Gateway note is the overhead bridges of 295 and Kenilworth Ave are too low for double stacks. To correct this the second main is being laid at a lower level. This will then be cut in to service and the original main will be undercut to also clear the overhead bridges.


The Virginia Avenue Tunnel is also nearing construction and will be done concurrently with low clearance issues in the L"Enfant Promenade vicinity.


The only other low clearance on the Capital Sub is the Jessup Road bridge right by the MARC Station. No announcement on work on this has been made and its my speculation that they will hold off on that project until the new Baltimore Intermodal facility is under construction.

The RF&P and North End Subs in Virginia also have some clearance issues with overpasses that no word has been made yet on. My guess is those projects will begin once the Virginia Avenue Tunnel is under construction.


Hope that helps!

Davis

[gpp111]

These are exciting projects, thank you.

One question, does the Old Main Line also have clearance problems or will the double stacks just stay on the Metropolitan Sub?

[poppyl]

These are exciting projects, thank you.

One question, does the Old Main Line also have clearance problems or will the double stacks just stay on the Metropolitan Sub?

Yes, there are several existing tunnels with height limitations -- Hartman; Mt. Airy; and Woodbine, to name a few. There also may be some existing road bridge clearance limitations along the line.

Poppyl