National Airport pocket track now single crossover

[mackievlzpro]

http://wtop.com/654/3547895/Broken-rail ... llow-lines" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wonder if having a lack of a true pocket track is affecting this.

[YOLO]

i doubt it, they would have singled tracked from pentagon city if that was the case.

[JDC]

http://wtop.com/654/3547895/Broken-rail ... llow-lines

I wonder if having a lack of a true pocket track is affecting this.

Because of this fun I had the opportunity to ride the Metro 21 bus from the Landmark area straight to Pentagon, then grabbed the first available (and by that I mean a train with space) train into DC. Fun times on a cold day.

[JDC]

Passed National Airport this morning (about 6:00 am) and noticed that not only was the train bridge gone (for overnight work), but that in its place was a railcar-mounted machine with an excavator claw as well as a large pickup truck on railwheels. Workers were also nearby with lots of equipment and running rail. It seems that the crossover closer to Crystal City will be the first one restored. I'll start to grab photos of the progress as often as I can as the project moves ahead.

[Sand Box John]

"JDC"
Passed National Airport this morning (about 6:00 am) and noticed that not only was the train bridge gone (for overnight work), but that in its place was a railcar-mounted machine with an excavator claw as well as a large pickup truck on railwheels. Workers were also nearby with lots of equipment and running rail. It seems that the crossover closer to Crystal City will be the first one restored. I'll start to grab photos of the progress as often as I can as the project moves ahead.

You made no mention of turnout parts and rail fastener staged nearby. Me thinks they are preparing to replace the rail in the curve north of the National Airport station that is routinely done every 18 to 24 months.

[YOLO]

18-24 months? what causes them to need replacing so quickly?

[JDC]

Passed National Airport this morning (about 6:00 am) and noticed that not only was the train bridge gone (for overnight work), but that in its place was a railcar-mounted machine with an excavator claw as well as a large pickup truck on railwheels. Workers were also nearby with lots of equipment and running rail. It seems that the crossover closer to Crystal City will be the first one restored. I'll start to grab photos of the progress as often as I can as the project moves ahead.

I did not have time on tonight's return trip to take photos, but I did notice this time that the train bridge is gone for good and has been replaced by a semi-permanent bridge made of scaffolding that spans over the middle track. I'll make sure to photograph this, too.

[Sand Box John]

"YOLO"

18-24 months? what causes them to need replacing so quickly?

The trains climbing and descending the grade of the combined vertical and hormonal curves wears the rail. There are several curves on the railroad that suffer from similar rail wear. Most don't wear as fast as the rail north of National Airport.



The rail on the inside of the curve is typically the one that suffers the greatest wear. Common carrier railroads will swap the left and right rails to extend the service life of both rails provided the wear is not to severe.

[JDC]

Since I was running very early today, I stepped off my train at National Airport and took some photos of the work being done. Based on the status of the project, I am not so sure this is rail replacement rather than the work to redo the double crossover.

4 photos posted: https://plus.google.com/photos/10733877 ... iMCSivamKA

[Sand Box John]

"JDC"
Since I was running very early today, I stepped off my train at National Airport and took some photos of the work being done. Based on the status of the project, I am not so sure this is rail replacement rather than the work to redo the double crossover.

4 photos posted: https://plus.google.com/photos/10733877 ... iMCSivamKA

Me now thinks your assumption may have been correct in the first place. Total removal of grout pads for the rail fasteners to accommodate the installation of new grout pads to support the pocket track turnout frog and guard rails. If you see new grout pads being installed that split to both the left and right then they are restoring the pocket track.

[JDC]

From today's view as I passed by, it looks like the workers are laying new concrete where they tore up the old concrete and pads. I expect once they have a new smooth surface they will begin the next step of pouring pads and so on.

[JDC]

Dr. Gridlock did a post on the remove of the train bridge and the work to restore the double crossover. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr- ... e-station/

[Sand Box John]

"JDC"
Dr. Gridlock did a post on the remove of the train bridge and the work to restore the double crossover. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr- ... e-station/

Seem Robert Thomson chose to echo Dan Stessel statement concerning the full restoration of the four turnouts in the National Airport interlocking resulting in both sounding like fools.

WMATA is not restoring a double crossover at National Airport they are restoring the full functionality of the pocket track that can also act as a double crossover.

[farecard]

Equally importantly, Dr. Gridlock made zero mention of the fact that the work would be restoring functionality lost to recent insanity.

[JDC]

They have begun to lay the tracks north of the pocket track, specifically the ones that cross from the pocket track to the tracks heading north to Crystal City.