Alexandria Branch

Can someone fill me in as to what CSX is up to on the Alexandria Branch between Hyattsville MD and over Route 50 and the former Pennsy line into Benning. All the brush under the old telegraph line has been removed and it seems like new grade crossing signal footings are being intalled further back in each side of the track. There has been grading and grade stakes on the north leg of the tye at hyattsville. I have heard they have wanted to double track the entire line from Hyattsville to the to the old connection with the former Conrail )Pennsy) main south of Benning. I am frequently working down near the Millville Quarry (Aggregate Industries) stone yard but never get a chance to ask the CSX workmen there.
As busy as this line is I am sure CSX would like more capacity. Starting with the old Virginia tower at 4th & D, several obsticals to double tracking come to mind. The Virginia Ave tunnel, the overpasses over the Pennsy line and US 50, the MD 450 crossing in Bladensburg and on.

Thanks,

Trackbolt

Maryland State Highway Administration and CSX are doing a grade separation project to remove the surface grade crossings at Upshur Street and MD-450 Annapolis Road. On the day I passed by the project area progress was not far enough along to determine if the modified easement would be wide enough to accommodate 2 tracks.

I have to travel through Benning yard a couple times a week and CSX has now connected the former B&O double track just north of Sheppard Junction near the Benning Yard office with the double tracked Anacostia River bridge. It is running trains through the new double track daily. The entire Benning Yard has been upgraded and the mainline has new signals. The old Pennsy catenary poles are being removed. The old single track connection from the B&O to the Pennsy has new signaled but seems to be unused since new mainline tracks were installed. Watching the daily progress has been cool. I have not been to the 450 crossing in a while. That is quite a project.

Yea, drove down DC-295 the night the Wilson Bridge went boom. Saw all of the new Darth Vader signals in the interlocking at the south end of the yard.