New Carrollton Yard storage capacity expansion project

[Sand Box John]

The WMATA board of directors on 10 09 2014 approved the holding of public hearing on the expansion of storage capacity at New Carrollton Yard.

This is one of the elements of the larger project to support 8 car train operation.

Hearing to be held in December of 2014, contract to be advertised in spring of 2015.

To accommodate the additional storage capacity WMATA pl;ans to build a new maintenance of way facility east of the landover station.

Approval to Hold Public Hearing for New Carrollton Yard and Landover Station Projects (1.80 MB PDF)

[dcmike]

Interesting stuff. That particular yard is already a confusing mess. It's too bad they could not have held off on building the current S&I shop until the this plan was put in to place. It would have made for far more efficient use of the property if they could have planned it all at once.

One of the more interesting elements to me is the "conversion" of the current engineering modification facility back to an S&I shop. That facility is basically a steel building with two sets of tracks running through it. It was never equipped with underfloor lifts or many of the other amenities a proper shop requires. I wonder if it would be more cost effective to abandon that building and add on to the current shop instead.

[Sand Box John]

"dcmike"
Interesting stuff. That particular yard is already a confusing mess. It's too bad they could not have held off on building the current S&I shop until the this plan was put in to place. It would have made for far more efficient use of the property if they could have planned it all at once.

The layout plan approved by the board is a refined version of what is in the "Eight-Car Train Implementation Plan". that I believe you provided the link to.

If I had designed my way I would have added tracks south of track 16 out to where the contractors storage track is, moved the FMC, MOW and contractors storage track to the new Landover facility and add more storage tracks there and extended those track east on a bridge over the sediment retention pond. Demolish engineering modification facility and put in 4 storage tracks there. Doing so would eliminate the need to build the storage tracks connected to the tail tracks between the Amtrak right of way and the car wash.

One of the more interesting elements to me is the "conversion" of the current engineering modification facility back to an S&I shop. That facility is basically a steel building with two sets of tracks running through it. It was never equipped with underfloor lifts or many of the other amenities a proper shop requires. I wonder if it would be more cost effective to abandon that building and add on to the current shop instead.

Had a chance to tour the that building before it was converted to an engineering modification facility. It had portable lifts in it, When I visited it there was a pair cars on the lifts.

That building was built after the yard opened. At the time New Carrollton Yard opened Brentwood was the only service and inspection facility. The next service and inspection facility to open was Alexandria.

[strench707]

So this would eliminate the option of extending beyond New Carrollton via the two leads?

Davis

[DiscoveryAnalysis]

So this would eliminate the option of extending beyond New Carrollton via the two leads?

Davis

Pretty much, however on the PG county side the only realistic extensions would be:

A) Green Line toward Laurel from Greenbelt following Route 1 & current CSX ROW
B) Blue Line toward Bowie from Largo Twn Center by generally following MD214 & US 50
C) Green Line toward Clinton & Waldorf from Branch Av via MD5

Side Note: I'm surprised that the originally planned yard lead outbound of TRK 1 wasn't included. It would still serve a purpose of routing a down train into the yard without having to wait for a platform to open, as well as storing a gap train.

[Sand Box John]

"strench707"
So this would eliminate the option of extending beyond New Carrollton via the two leads?

"DiscoveryAnalysis"
Pretty much, however on the PG county side the only realistic extensions would be:

I don't think so, see below.

A) Green Line toward Laurel from Greenbelt following Route 1 & current CSX ROW
B) Blue Line toward Bowie from Largo Twn Center by generally following MD214 & US 50
C) Green Line toward Clinton & Waldorf from Branch Av via MD5

A and C of would require significant modification to the existing yard leads to allow for those extensions. Similar modification would need to be made to the expanded New Carrollton Yard as well.

Provision are built into Largo to allow an extension out Lake Arbor Way to Central Avenue.

In my opinion an extension to Bowie and Crofton from New Carrollton along Annapolis Road would generate more boardings then an extension east of Largo.

You can forget C, 2 reasons, to much land would need to be taken by immanent domain for the easement between the Branch Avenue Metrorail station and the proposed right of way south of the Capitol Beltway and the Maryland Transit Administration is proposing light rail for that corridor,

Side Note: I'm surprised that the originally planned yard lead outbound of TRK 1 wasn't included. It would still serve a purpose of routing a down train into the yard without having to wait for a platform to open, as well as storing a gap train.

I am assuming you mean the unused bypass track way next to outbound track 1 in the station. That surprised me as well, and not including a crossover from track 2 to track 1 to allow movements from the existing yard to the new storage tracks without fouling the revenue tracks in the station.

[The EGE]

The yard leads at Largo appear to point north, rather than east along Lake Arbor. Is there a reason why?

[Sand Box John]

"The EGE"
The yard leads at Largo appear to point north, rather than east along Lake Arbor. Is there a reason why?

The small storage and maintenance tail tracks are underground along the west side of Lotsford Road. They end under the building between McCormick and Apollo Drives.

The extension provision (15# turnouts) is between the east end of the platform and the tunnel portals. The tunnels descend to about 50' at Arena Drive. The extension will pass above the tail tracks tunnels and turn east along Arena Drive to Lake Arbor Way.

Aerial of Largo tail track and extension provision.