Electrification south of Union Station?

If you look at the track south of union station heading towards the Long Bridge, you can see that it has abandoned catenaries and was once electrified.
You can see in this photo here (taken in the 70's I think) that the overhead lines were still there.
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/5356 ... 913200.jpg
What railroad company used these overhead lines and how far did they go? Also when when did they stop being used and when were they taken down?
Oh, and what's up with the Long Bridge? It's so rusty and old it looks like it's about to disintegrate any second.

These were PRR catenary.

Prior to the Amrtak Conrail wreck in Chase Maryland in 1987 freight trains were pulled by electric locomotives on the Northeast Corridor. The catenary seen in the Photograph of Virginia Tower in Southwest Washington DC ran between Landover Junction to the receiving track in the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad's Potomac Yard in Alexandria. The foundations for the catenary polls are still visible on the bridges that use to carry the yard tracks over 4 Mile Run Creek.

BiZzAr0 wrote:Oh, and what's up with the Long Bridge? It's so rusty and old it looks like it's about to disintegrate any second.

Yes, it's looked rather ratty for quite some time now. It's a likely assumption that the bridge's maintenance (or lack thereof) is the responsibility of CSX.

"hutton_switch"
Yes, it's looked rather ratty for quite some time now. It's a likely assumption that the bridge's maintenance (or lack thereof) is the responsibility of CSX.

The ratty appearance of the bridge dates back to the Penn Central era. It's mostly cosmetic.

The structural elements of the bridge are significantly more beefy then you might think.

I heard somewhere that CSX wants to replace it with a 3 track bridge sometime in the future. It would make sense because through L'Enfant its 3 tracks then over long bridge its two then right before Crystal City it goes out back to 3 tracks which go south of Alexandria and a continuation of the third track is being constructed down to Franconia-Springfield.

So I'd say it'll be done at some point but when, i do not know.

Davis

This is what CSX plans to do to the bridge as it stands now.

From:
National Gateway
Project Updates

Potomac River Swing Bridge
Existing Bridge Modification

"The site is a 23-span bridge located above the Potomac River. The project will consist of modifying and/or replacing the existing diagonal and lateral bracing members with systems that provide both the required bracing and the needed railcar clearance. The proposed work will take place within CSX right of way and will not have significant environmental impact."

The catanary was part of the Pennsylvania's 1930's electrification project that gave us the famous GG1. The catanary wires were used by Conrail until they ceased using the electric locomotives that they inherited from PennCentral in 1981 0r 1982. The wires were removed by 1985. The replacement of the aging electric locomotive fleet costs coupled with the maintenance of the overhead system in the freight sections costs were too great. Also Conrail had to pay Amtrak for use of the NEC for freight. Conrail was rationalizing everything back then. Conrail made the decision for all diesel use system wide and went on to modernize the diesel locomotive fleet. Conrail also was found negligent in an electrocution death accident in the late 1970's that happened just north of the now abandoned Virginia tower. During a fourth of july fireworks display someone climbed on top of a boxcar loaded with news print spotted on a siding at Virginia avenue and some how came into contact with the overhead wires. There was a very large judgment against Conrail even though the victim was trespassing on R.R. property.
By the time of the 1987 Conrail/Amtrak wreck at Chase MD Conrail was all diesel on all lines.

Hope this helps

Tony M.

For those unfamiliar with what Conrail called its "Main Line Landover and South End", this was/is a freight bypass around Washington Union Station. Two tracks diverged from what is now Amtrak at Landover, MD and ran through Anacostia to Benning Yard, which is still very much in use. At the south end of the yard, Anacostia Tower controlled the junction with B&O's freight bypass from "JD" in Hyattsville. Double track then continued across the Anacostia River on a swing bridge run by the operator at Anacostia. At the mouth of Virginia Avenue tunnel, the railroad became single track (it was originally two tracks, but was single tracked in the 1950s to increase clearances. At Virginia Ave. Tower (now "CP Virginia), double track from Union Station joined. At one time there were four tracks from Virginia Ave. to an interlocking at 14th Street, just north of the Long Bridge. The two outside tracks were lifted in the 1970s.

Wire extended, as noted, to the arrival tracks and engine terminal at Potomac Yard. Wire was removed not long after electric freight operation was discontinued in 1982. Tracks running south from Union Station to CP Virginia never had wire, except for a short distance into the Capitol Hill tunnel so locos could cut off southbound trains and run to Ivy City.

Two or three years ago, CSX constructed a new siding on the former ROW of the south track from the west portal of VA Ave. Tunnel to 14th Street, about a mile and a half. This gives them two tracks from the tunnel to CP Virginia, and three tracks to 14th Street. At the same time, VRE paid for a pocket track east of L'Enfant Plaza station on the north side, long enough to store two commuter trains.

CSX plans to rebuild the VA Ave. Tunnel as part of the National Gateway project. This will give them double track from 14th Street to Anacostia Tower, where the former B&O diverges.

Longer term, VRE would like to construct a second two-track bridge across the Potomac. The railroad from "RO", just south of the river, is already three tracks to "AF" interlocking near Van Dorn Street, and CSX is installing nine miles of third main south from "AF" (paid for by Virginia).