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  • Potomac Yard Metrorail station

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

Moderators: mtuandrew, therock, Robert Paniagua

 #1281000  by JDC
 
I could not find a thread devoted to the potential future Metrorail station at Potomac Yard, so I thought I would start one.

Today's news is that the FTA has narrowed the possible locations to Alternative A or B (see them here: http://potomacyardmetro.com/Copy%20of%2 ... 092412.jpg). The news story is here: http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/b ... l?page=all. Alternative D, the aerial station closer to the planned location of commercial high-rises in North Potomac Yard, was nixed. Also nixed was a CSX option whereby the City would purchase nearby land in order to straighten out CSX's tracks and thus allow a better location for Metro's tracks and station.

Websites devoted to the future station are listed below:
 #1281013  by Sand Box John
 
Image

I think some variation option A is the logic chose, but after all the arguments are heard from the various opposing factions we will end up with some variation of option B.
 #1281399  by Sand Box John
 
"asdf"
looks like they are set on them being split platforms ... am I reading it right?


Yes. Option A and B are twin platform configurations.

Option A produces the least amount service disruption because the tracks through the station would be cut in after the station is completely built. The cut in of the tracks would likely happen over 2 weekend and require an amount modification to the track circuits in the signaling and train control system. It would also be the cheapest to build as normal daily train operations would not interfere during construction. However savings in construction costs would likely be off set by the cost of the additional land need east of the existing right of way for the foot of the station.

Option B places the station platforms on either side of the existing tracks. Modification needed to the signaling and train control system would be less. Little or no additional land need be taken. Service disruptions during construction of the platform might be greater depending on how their construction is executed. The cost might be more do to close proximity of the construction to the active tracks.

Both options include a new double north of the station. Option A places the double crossover in the tangent north of the curve north of the station. Option B places the double crossover in the tangent north of the station.

The center of the platform of option A is roughly 800' north of the center of the platform of option B.
 #1281644  by DiscoveryAnalysis
 
Sand Box John wrote:"asdf"
looks like they are set on them being split platforms ... am I reading it right?


Yes. Option A and B are twin platform configurations.

Option A produces the least amount service disruption because the tracks through the station would be cut in after the station is completely built. The cut in of the tracks would likely happen over 2 weekend and require an amount modification to the track circuits in the signaling and train control system. It would also be the cheapest to build as normal daily train operations would not interfere during construction. However savings in construction costs would likely be off set by the cost of the additional land need east of the existing right of way for the foot of the station.

Option B places the station platforms on either side of the existing tracks. Modification needed to the signaling and train control system would be less. Little or no additional land need be taken. Service disruptions during construction of the platform might be greater depending on how their construction is executed. The cost might be more do to close proximity of the construction to the active tracks.

Both options include a new double north of the station. Option A places the double crossover in the tangent north of the curve north of the station. Option B places the double crossover in the tangent north of the station.

The center of the platform of option A is roughly 800' north of the center of the platform of option B.
Option A is south of option B and is in the position the original station was planned prior to development east of the ROW. The station was to be placed just north of the retaining wall leading to the portal and south of the TPSS. Based on current development and political concern Option B is now a forgone conclusion to be selected.

Hopefully with this infill, WMATA will tie in one if not both of the existing tracks to add flexibility into operations.
 #1288202  by JDC
 
Reading the official history of Metrorail (http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/history.pdf), one thing that caught my eye is an entry from Nov. 1995: "WMATA and RF&P Corporation formally
sign an agreement to build Potomac Yard station with RF&P funds. It will be first Metro station built with private funds. Station is between National Airport and Braddock Road on Blue/Yellow Line." Hmmmm, what ever happened with that?
 #1288293  by Sand Box John
 
"JDC"
Reading the official history of Metrorail (http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/history.pdf), one thing that caught my eye is an entry from Nov. 1995: "WMATA and RF&P Corporation formally sign an agreement to build Potomac Yard station with RF&P funds. It will be first Metro station built with private funds. Station is between National Airport and Braddock Road on Blue/Yellow Line." Hmmmm, what ever happened with that?


That agreement was probably lost during the process that absorbed the RF&P into CSX and also likely lost during the process of how the property was going to be redeveloped. 5 of the 6 railroads that held equal shares of the RF&P were railroads that merged to create CSX.
 #1312456  by charding
 
…not that we want to address 'what-might-have-beens', when Jack Kent Cooke was looking for a place to built a stadium for the Redskins, one place was the Potomac Yards - think a station was part of the plan - however, nearby citizens rose up in protest and it was not build…and the rest is history.
 #1313798  by mtuandrew
 
Option B makes quite a bit of sense. It's closer to the Pot Yard shopping center developments than Option A, it doesn't require some silly crossover of the RF&P like Option D, and it can be built in large part without impeding current Metro operations since it isn't directly on the current active line. At the least, the northbound platform and line can be constructed without interference, then the old NB main demolished and the new SB main and platform built.

I'll miss the fast ride between National Airport and Braddock though.
 #1313855  by Sand Box John
 
"mtuandrew"Option B makes quite a bit of sense. It's closer to the Pot Yard shopping center developments than Option A, it doesn't require some silly crossover of the RF&P like Option D, and it can be built in large part without impeding current Metro operations since it isn't directly on the current active line. At the least, the northbound platform and line can be constructed without interference, then the old NB main demolished and the new SB main and platform built.

I prefer option A because it splits the differences on being closer to the homes and the undeveloped area to the south. Could be done without significant disruption provided there is sufficient room between the footprint of the new stations and the properties on the west side of Potomac Green Drive for a temporary shoe fly of the mainline tracks.
 #1323846  by afiggatt
 
Good news for the PY metro station: Washington Post Plan advances for Metro station at Potomac Yard. The draft EIS is finally completed. Some excerpts:
A new Metro station in Alexandria’s growing Potomac Yard community is a step closer to reality with the release of a federal environmental impact study that says the project would spur economic development and boost transit.

The report, released last week by the Federal Transit Administration, details the station’s potential impact on the community, overall development, wetlands and views from the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Good news for option B, the NPS won't block it because of the "scenic" easement intrusion. If the NPS were to say no, it could delay the site selection process for even more years.
The proposal that some have called the preferred option would intrude on the parkway’s scenic easement and require the purchase of 0.16 acres of parkway property from the National Park Service, the report said. But in a letter to the city, the Park Service says it would support the construction of the station pending a negotiation of a benefits agreement.
In the article, it says "The station has a projected opening date of 2018." Given how long the whole station location and EIS process has taken, I'm going with the over for 2018 and expect that SIlver Line Phase 2 will open well before the PY in-fill station.
 #1328138  by afiggatt
 
afiggatt wrote:In the article, it says "The station has a projected opening date of 2018." Given how long the whole station location and EIS process has taken, I'm going with the over for 2018 and expect that SIlver Line Phase 2 will open well before the PY in-fill station.
In light of the news on Silver Line Phase 2 delay and the staff decision to recommend Alternative B location along with the news that Alexandria has made a land swap deal with the NPS, I want to retract the above statement. Of course, there will be more bumps in the roads and delays for the PY infill station project, but I think the odds of PY opening comfortably ahead of SL Phase 2 just went way up.
 #1328139  by JDC
 
afiggatt wrote:
afiggatt wrote:In the article, it says "The station has a projected opening date of 2018." Given how long the whole station location and EIS process has taken, I'm going with the over for 2018 and expect that SIlver Line Phase 2 will open well before the PY in-fill station.
In light of the news on Silver Line Phase 2 delay and the staff decision to recommend Alternative B location along with the news that Alexandria has made a land swap deal with the NPS, I want to retract the above statement. Of course, there will be more bumps in the roads and delays for the PY infill station project, but I think the odds of PY opening comfortably ahead of SL Phase 2 just went way up.
I think it all depends on whether the station's design and construction takes into account changed environmental regulations, which sunk the opening of both the Silver Line phase I and now phase II. Stricter stormwater management regs came on line during construction of the Silver Line, which caught them unaware and required construction changes. Since those regs are now on the books, I would imagine that the Potomac Yard station's design takes those into account and so that should not be a snafu.