by ThirdRail7
Hi.
I was going through some old files and I came across an old NEC plan. It was printed in 1998. The plan was drafted to craft a vision on how the NEC between New York and Washington should look in 2003 and 2015. There were also plans for the Washington-Richmond and Keystone corridors, but I don't have those anymore.
I forgot all about this vision. It has a lot of tidbits of information and bold ideas. A lot of them have been accomplished under the 2003 plan (Secaucus, Newark Airport,Cliff Interlocking to name a few.) As for the 2015 projections, it looks like most of them will fall by the wayside. Some of the projects were contingent on NJT, MARC and SEPTA getting involved and adding service, so these things might come to fruition one day.
This blueprint is 25 pages, so I''m not going to type the whole thing. I will answer questions if anyone has an interest.
In the meantime, I'll throw a few things out there.
NYP-NWK
The 2003 plan for Newark to New York included building Secaucus Jct, adding Allie, Erie and Lack interlockings as well as finishing the Kearny connection.
The 2015 plan for the same area called for the elimination Allied interlocking, moving Bergen Interlocking and making a third track form Bergen to Swift. All three tracks would swoop over a new Portal Bridge, 50 to 60 feet above water. Hudson Yard would have two new tracks for NJT which would run between 2 and 3.
NWK-MET
The 2003 plan for Newark to Metropark called for building EWR and the associated interlockings, installing concrete ties on A,B,1 and 4 tracks and raising track speed to 135 on 2&3 tracks between Elmora and Union.
2015 plan for Newark to Metropark (hold on to your hat NJT employees and prepare to laugh) included installing 60mph crossovers at Elmora, raising track speed from Lane-Elmora to 125mph while adding a 5th track and straightening Elmora's curve. From Elmora to Union, they planned to raise speed on 1 and 4 track to 135 and 110mph on A and B. Union was to be reconfigured and a new interlocking equipped with high speed crossovers at Colonia would be built. Menlo and Iselin would be eliminated because Metropark was going to have a center island platform!
MET-TRE
The 2003 plan really didn't add much. The only real plan was to add concrete ties on track 1 and 4,raise track speed on 2&3 to 135mph and build Hamilton train station.
The 2015 is bold and considers the projected needs of NJT. First, Lincoln interlocking is reduced from a complete interlocking to 0-1-2 only. Edison Interlocking is reconfigured with high speed crossovers and includes 3-2-1-0. A new Interlocking named Thomas is built east of New Brunswick for "in and out moves." County interlocking is removed, replaced by "Adams" interlocking, which is a complete interlocking equipped with high speed crossovers. Adams would also connect to the MOW base and a new NJT storage yard to the main line. A new train station named South Brunswick would be constructed just east of Deans. It would have center island platforms. If NJT built the MON-OC line, Midway Interlocking would remain. If not, Midway would be eliminated in favor of a restored Nassau Interlocking. Nassau would have high speed crossovers and straddle Princeton Jct train station.
If nothing else happens, I'd LOVE to see Nassau restored!
At Trenton, the North Low would become a high level platform, West Barracks would be restored for SEPTA storage and a 5th track would run to Hamilton.
Track speed from Edison to Trenton would be 135mph outside and 150mph inside because there would be constant tension catenary.
TRE-PHL
The 2003 plan didn't change much. The major items were installing concrete ties on tracks 1 and 4, raising track speed on 2&3 to 135mph from Morris to Shore. Speaking of Shore, the 2004 plan called for Shore to get 45 mph crossovers and add a passing siding for NJT trains.
The 2015 plan didn't add too much. It calls for making Grundy and Holmes interlockings complete, while adding 80 mph high speed crossovers. A new SEPTA train station named Bensalem would replace Cornwells Heights. It would have center island platforms and Amtrak trains would stop there. Shore Interlocking become a complete interlocking, but would have 45mph turnouts. Track speed on all tracks would be 135mph from Morris to Shore. From Shore to Mantua, 2&3 would rise to 100mph.
These are just some of the examples. If anyone is interested, I'll added the Philadelphia-Washington segment.
I was going through some old files and I came across an old NEC plan. It was printed in 1998. The plan was drafted to craft a vision on how the NEC between New York and Washington should look in 2003 and 2015. There were also plans for the Washington-Richmond and Keystone corridors, but I don't have those anymore.
I forgot all about this vision. It has a lot of tidbits of information and bold ideas. A lot of them have been accomplished under the 2003 plan (Secaucus, Newark Airport,Cliff Interlocking to name a few.) As for the 2015 projections, it looks like most of them will fall by the wayside. Some of the projects were contingent on NJT, MARC and SEPTA getting involved and adding service, so these things might come to fruition one day.
This blueprint is 25 pages, so I''m not going to type the whole thing. I will answer questions if anyone has an interest.
In the meantime, I'll throw a few things out there.
NYP-NWK
The 2003 plan for Newark to New York included building Secaucus Jct, adding Allie, Erie and Lack interlockings as well as finishing the Kearny connection.
The 2015 plan for the same area called for the elimination Allied interlocking, moving Bergen Interlocking and making a third track form Bergen to Swift. All three tracks would swoop over a new Portal Bridge, 50 to 60 feet above water. Hudson Yard would have two new tracks for NJT which would run between 2 and 3.
NWK-MET
The 2003 plan for Newark to Metropark called for building EWR and the associated interlockings, installing concrete ties on A,B,1 and 4 tracks and raising track speed to 135 on 2&3 tracks between Elmora and Union.
2015 plan for Newark to Metropark (hold on to your hat NJT employees and prepare to laugh) included installing 60mph crossovers at Elmora, raising track speed from Lane-Elmora to 125mph while adding a 5th track and straightening Elmora's curve. From Elmora to Union, they planned to raise speed on 1 and 4 track to 135 and 110mph on A and B. Union was to be reconfigured and a new interlocking equipped with high speed crossovers at Colonia would be built. Menlo and Iselin would be eliminated because Metropark was going to have a center island platform!
MET-TRE
The 2003 plan really didn't add much. The only real plan was to add concrete ties on track 1 and 4,raise track speed on 2&3 to 135mph and build Hamilton train station.
The 2015 is bold and considers the projected needs of NJT. First, Lincoln interlocking is reduced from a complete interlocking to 0-1-2 only. Edison Interlocking is reconfigured with high speed crossovers and includes 3-2-1-0. A new Interlocking named Thomas is built east of New Brunswick for "in and out moves." County interlocking is removed, replaced by "Adams" interlocking, which is a complete interlocking equipped with high speed crossovers. Adams would also connect to the MOW base and a new NJT storage yard to the main line. A new train station named South Brunswick would be constructed just east of Deans. It would have center island platforms. If NJT built the MON-OC line, Midway Interlocking would remain. If not, Midway would be eliminated in favor of a restored Nassau Interlocking. Nassau would have high speed crossovers and straddle Princeton Jct train station.
If nothing else happens, I'd LOVE to see Nassau restored!
At Trenton, the North Low would become a high level platform, West Barracks would be restored for SEPTA storage and a 5th track would run to Hamilton.
Track speed from Edison to Trenton would be 135mph outside and 150mph inside because there would be constant tension catenary.
TRE-PHL
The 2003 plan didn't change much. The major items were installing concrete ties on tracks 1 and 4, raising track speed on 2&3 to 135mph from Morris to Shore. Speaking of Shore, the 2004 plan called for Shore to get 45 mph crossovers and add a passing siding for NJT trains.
The 2015 plan didn't add too much. It calls for making Grundy and Holmes interlockings complete, while adding 80 mph high speed crossovers. A new SEPTA train station named Bensalem would replace Cornwells Heights. It would have center island platforms and Amtrak trains would stop there. Shore Interlocking become a complete interlocking, but would have 45mph turnouts. Track speed on all tracks would be 135mph from Morris to Shore. From Shore to Mantua, 2&3 would rise to 100mph.
These are just some of the examples. If anyone is interested, I'll added the Philadelphia-Washington segment.
I want my road foreman!