Blue Plains Branch

Rail south of the military fence has been block by a new chain link fence that has no gate. So when the Light Rail Demo project starts, it will go only to South Capitol Street and not enter the base.

When it starts in 2006, I hope someone will come up with funds to put a gate on the fence to allow workers to get to work on the base.

Has CSX given up on Blue Plains and filed it with the FRA?

The Shepards Branch (Blue Plains branch) was shut down after 9-11. I remember an article in Railpace or Maybe Trains that the sewage treatment facility at Blue Plains had switched to some sort of chemical that was not as disasterous as Chlorine and better moved by truck. The process of having an escort through Bolling AFB, and the Naval Research Lab was a bigger headache than the Military and CSX needed not to mention post 9-11 security concerns. Considering that the only customer, the sewage treatment plant recieved only occasional tank cars of chlorine it was not cost effective to continue to operate and maintain the line. I believe the last train on the line ran in December of 2001.

Trackbolt