National Airport pocket track now single crossover

[JDC]

Another update:

Metro has finished pouring some of the pads for the tracks leading north out of the pocket train to the line heading to Crystal City. Where they had poured the pads, they have also installed the rails. They had not done any pouring of pads for the track leading from the southbound rails to the pocket track (that I can see).

Metro has begun tearing up the rails and pads for the existing tracks connecting the pocket track to the rails south of the station.

On Metro's MetroForward Facebook page, they posted 3 photos and one photo of the elevator bridge. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

[Sand Box John]

One can safely assume from this picture they are totally restoring the pocket track:


Grout pad forms for the north equilateral turnout.

[JDC]

The tracks leading north from the pocket track (i.e. towards Crystal City) are fully restored. I don't think they have done any actual testing yet - I imagine that will wait until the south tracks are restored, which could take another week to 10 days based on how quickly they did the north side.

[Sand Box John]

"JDC"
The tracks leading north from the pocket track (i.e. towards Crystal City) are fully restored. I don't think they have done any actual testing yet - I imagine that will wait until the south tracks are restored, which could take another week to 10 days based on how quickly they did the north side.

I would hazard a guess the only thing that will need to be tested is the restored ground equipment. I don't think the signal shop removed any of the hardware from the train control room when the pocket track was downgraded to a single crossover / siding.

[JDC]

Passed by the station today and took 2 new photos:

First, the tracks heading north towards Crystal City are NOT finished, despite what I had mentioned earlier. They are not yet tied into the existing tracks, stopping just a few feet short. I imagine that project will take place sometime soon when all 4 junctions can be done. Nonetheless, here is a short looking north toward Crystal City showing the almost completed tracks. https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1073 ... 4168093322

Second, sitting alongside the rails in the middle pocket track are lots of new insulators waiting to be installed. https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1073 ... 4168093322

[Sand Box John]

For the record you can post image here that are hosted at plus.google.com by change the numbers after the w in the directory the image is stored in.

lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VPRv9HXHvzk/U3ka_O4MywI/AAAAAAAAEZA/j3loZOEuXk4/w825-h619-no/IMG_20140518_110401.jpg
lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VPRv9HXHvzk/U3ka_O4MywI/AAAAAAAAEZA/j3loZOEuXk4/w800-h619-no/IMG_20140518_110401.jpg

Tracks heading north toward Crystal City have been almost fully restored. They are not yet tied into the existing north/south rails.

lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3u1zE3L-0iY/U3ka_MO2YNI/AAAAAAAAEYs/uazV8uSnwMs/w825-h619-no/IMG_20140518_110429.jpg
lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3u1zE3L-0iY/U3ka_MO2YNI/AAAAAAAAEYs/uazV8uSnwMs/w800-h619-no/IMG_20140518_110429.jpg

New insulators at National Airport station, sitting alongside middle pocket train while tracks north/south are being restored.

You also can link to the full size images by changing number after both the w and h to the width and height figures in photo details drop down.

[JDC]

John,

Thanks for tips on posting in-text images hosted on Google Plus. I'll try that with my next batch of photos.

As an update on the pocket track restoration: the pocket track is now connected with the rails leading north to Crystal City. The rails leading south from Crystal City to the pocket track are not yet connected (about a 5 foot gap) and no rails have been installed yet south of the pocket track.

[JDC]

Just another update:

All of the tracks south of National Airport are now installed, although it did not appear that they were connected to the existing rails. The third rail has been installed on the southern tracks and they were preparing to install it on the northern tracks this morning. All of the insulators were already installed.

[JDC]

Update from this weekend's single tracking between Pentagon and National Airport: trains heading north into DC proceed on the normal tracks, but trains heading south switch to the northbound tracks south of Pentagon. At National Airport, the tracks use the restored switch north of the station to change from the northbound tracks to the middle pocket track to service the station using the middle pocket track. The trains then use the restored switch south of the station to continue traveling south on the southbound tracks.

From what I could see, the switches south of the station are fully restored, connected to the main tracks, and I think the third rail is fully installed. North of the station, the pocket track is only connected to the northbound tracks and a lot of the third rail still needs to be installed. Workers were working on the southbound tracks between Crystal City and National Airport, including as late as midnight. I have a feeling this project is about a week or 10 days away from being fully completed.

[JDC]

Per Metro's weekend trackwork calendar, this coming weekend (6/21-6/22) Metro will work on installing the switch at National Airport. Based on my latest observations, 2 of the tracks still need to be connected to the existing tracks for the pocket track to be fully restored. http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/metro_ ... m?AID=3343

[DiscoveryAnalysis]

Update: Rail has been connected at all four turnouts, now it seems all that's left is third rail work (power connections, etc) and testing.

[Sand Box John]

"DiscoveryAnalysis"
Update: Rail has been connected at all four turnouts, now it seems all that's left is third rail work (power connections, etc) and testing.

Testing should entail no more then test continuity between the tracks and the equipment racks in the train control room and a couple of passes with a train to confirm cab signal are being received and display on board.

[mackievlzpro]

Went and checked out the pocket track last week, looks nearly complete:


Southern end.


Northern end.


Impedance Bond at Northern end.

[Sand Box John]

"mackievlzpro"Went and checked out the pocket track last week, looks nearly complete:


Impedance Bond at Northern end.

I believe what we are seeing is one end of a power frequency track circuit. Notice there is no insulated joint on the left rail and the way the cables connected to the rails wrap 90 degrees around the D shaped induction loop.

The single grout pad to the left of the Impedance Bond / WEE-Z bond is an original grout pad that date back to when the track was first installed back in 1975.

Also notice the logo on the Impedance Bond / WEE-Z bond, It appears to be a product of USS&S.

[JDC]

From what I viewed today: all of the construction equipment is gone, as is the train bridge (which means the elevators are back in service following rehab). Even the small construction equipment has been removed. Not sure if this means the pocket track is fully restored and up and running, or if just technical work remains.