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CentralValleyRail wrote:I think we should get everyone who's part of this project a nice pat on the back when it's done. Boy do they deserve it! Quite the warriors 3 years 3 miles man that was intense!

I think they deserve a raise as well! This performance brings new meaning to the term:

Is anything taking place in connection with this project this year?
Andy

The bridge is completed and all new ballast has been put down on the bridge and on the r.o.w. just to the north of the bridge. ET has already wired the catenary for the new track, so all that remains is laying the track itself and cutting it over.

amtrakhogger wrote:The bridge is completed and all new ballast has been put down on the bridge and on the r.o.w. just to the north of the bridge. ET has already wired the catenary for the new track, so all that remains is laying the track itself and cutting it over.

I don't know if it is still part of the plan but they were supposed to reconfigure the interlockings at Yard and Brandy. If they still intend to do that, we may be in for another 7 years.

ThirdRail7 wrote:

amtrakhogger wrote:The bridge is completed and all new ballast has been put down on the bridge and on the r.o.w. just to the north of the bridge. ET has already wired the catenary for the new track, so all that remains is laying the track itself and cutting it over.

I don't know if it is still part of the plan but they were supposed to reconfigure the interlockings at Yard and Brandy. If they still intend to do that, we may be in for another 7 years.

7 years?! That's nuts!

daybeers wrote: 7 years?! That's nuts!

I was being facetious. I don't know how long it will take if they include that portion. All I know is this "three year" project began in 2012. It is now 2018 and the project isn't completed. If has taken 6 years to build a bridge, I figure configuring a few interlockings will tie them up a few more years.

The thing thats nuts is the bridge is what delayed everything. Now that its done, and the grading is completed you would think putting the track down and getting it all set up would happen in a week or two. Right now the surfacing gangs, track production and SES are all in full swing on many other pressing projects that need to be done. There is a huge TLM project between Grudy and parts of Philly, the Undercutter is still working down in Maryland and I think they are changing some old pnumatic switches out for electric ones in balitmore.

This project was funded by a combination of state, federal, and Amtrak funds. You would think they would wrap up this project as soon as possible so your partners will want to work with you again. it would go a long way towards being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

*clears the cobwebs again*

They had "track 3" out of service this weekend near this project. They were doing SES to replace the 32 switch in Ragan interlocking. Assuming this is a sign that they will move the main tracks over soon to connect the project and complete it once and for all.

ApproachMedium wrote:*clears the cobwebs again*

They had "track 3" out of service this weekend near this project. They were doing SES to replace the 32 switch in Ragan interlocking. Assuming this is a sign that they will move the main tracks over soon to connect the project and complete it once and for all.

AM. Never paid much attention to Wilmington. Will it ever be possible to build the proposed 4th track thru Wilmington station ? As well 4 either side of the station ? Kind of remember that there is supposed to be a storage track(s) for SEPTA and MARC if it ever gets there ? Do you know of any track diagram present and future ?

east point wrote:AM. Never paid much attention to Wilmington. Will it ever be possible to build the proposed 4th track thru Wilmington station ? As well 4 either side of the station ? Kind of remember that there is supposed to be a storage track(s) for SEPTA and MARC if it ever gets there ? Do you know of any track diagram present and future ?

I still had Wikimapia open and looking at the satellite overview... that'll be one nasty rebuilding engineering job to get four tracks at Wilmington.

I do not know of any proposal for any other tracks at the wilmington station. I do know they talked about reactivating the yard at yard interlocking for septa turns, just south of the amtrak training center.
The only additional track you could possibly get at the station would be the old turn track/mail express i think it was. Right next to 3 track and i think stub ended there.

Any updates on this "3' year project?

They laid panel tracks next to track 2 and the B&O yard a week or so ago. Nothing is in the Amtrak yard but a few gons now. Maybe well see it by christmas 2021

My first meeting as a consultant on this job was in late 2004. I (like many others) pushed paper and put up with This job for about seven years after that.

They never said as much, but in their actions, Amtrak never showed much interest in the job to expand the capacity of their corridor, and other factors piled on as well.

- Amtrak engineering reviews moved at a glacial pace, and then missed things that they claimed to care about later
- complete disconnect between what engineers/lawyers in philly and dc wanted, vs what their own field personnel needed.
- outlandish demands were made at the eleventh hour regarding c&s matters, upending years of negotiations, then retracted after delaying the project.
- consulting engineers were unwilling to seal plans on the existing bridge without abutment work, which Amtrak didn’t seem to think was necessary (but they wouldn’t say so or take responsibility for it, of course)
- Amtrak demanded that Delaware buy the rail (not just pay for it, buy/inspect/own it), then later decided against it
- Denrec decided at the eleventh hour that the wetlands were more critical than thought and wouldn’t allow the work, then acquiesced later. In retrospect it looks like attempted extortion.
- Amtrak demanded that Delaware hire and oversee the contractor doing all the grading and structural work, despite having little experience in railroad matters and creating a liability nightmare. I am not sure if they continued to demand that. Anyone know who’s doing the work?

And those are only the things I remember!

It’s a shame. The project seems like a win-win for both parties. Perhaps some lessons are in order for the whole state funding model that many parties seem so hell bent on?