Improvements to allow for doublestack trains in Philly

The improvements will address 16 bridges to allow double-stack trains on 25 miles of existing track near Hunting Park Avenue in North Philadelphia. The route extends to near Wayne Junction, through Olney, and then into the Northeast, said Bill Goetz, a CSX vice president. Trains now run through Montgomery and Bucks counties on a route that accommodates fewer trains and has lower capacity.

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/2 ... _jobs.html

This sounds like part of CSX's efforts to clear their route running along the eastern seaboard for domestic doublestack and comes on the heels of a similar project in the Washington DC/Maryland area, including the VIrginia Ave. tunnel in DC. I have not heard of anything involving the Howard St. tunnel in Baltimore, however (or maybe it already has 20'6"+ clearance?). It would make sense since it would respond to NS's Crescent Corridor project aimed to clear from the New Orleans and Memphis gateways across the south and up into the Northeast. If CSX were not able to fully clear their route along the eastern seaboard, then they'll have to resort to an alternative route via Cincinnati but limited to serving the "western" southern states and lower Mississippi River valley, or lose a big competitive advantage to NS in the south-northeast lane. Gaining the capability to doublestack 2 domestic high-cube containers in this lane for either carrier is a big strategic move and will lead to growth from the conversion of traffic from over-the-road to rail between these two regions.

So the CSX enlargement of the clearances on the Trenton Line through Philly has begun, with work surrounding CP NICE. Apparently they have removed the southern-most track which they will lower by about 5ft. They apparently-according to a worker I asked this morning-will also be lowering the other main track that approaches from the west that connects to NS' Harrisburg line and goes to CP Belmont and ultimately CP Vine or the "High Line". These two tracks come together to form a single track that goes under SEPTA's mainline out of Wayne Junction. That portion of the project-lowering under Wayne Junction-will supposedly be the hardest part of the project, as there is not a lot of room to build a new track while leaving the original line in place to serve traffice, as CSX has done in other places such as Rhawn Street in NE Philly. They are also building a retaining wall along the tracks to prevent houses from falling down the embankment. According to the worker I spoke to today they will be working onthis project for about 6 months.

Thanks for the pictures - and please keep them coming as this project progresses.

The old Bergen Tunnel in Jersey City was recently taken out of service, but the workers I talked to said something about falling rocks, not clearance. They also said it would be out for about six months.

the tunnel/national docks in jersey city are beeing worked on for clearence. Its all part of the liberty corridor.

How are Maryland and Delaware doing with their double-stack clearances? Are clearances OK through the National Gateway?

Some photos of the work:

More from Jan 21st, 2010:

From Feb 9, 2010:

Are there any plans for work on the Phladelphia Sub to allow for doublestacks? Also, has it ever been considered to make the philly sub double track or is that just not practical/needed?

Are you talking about the B&O? If so that line is already double stack capable; has been since the late 90's. I have a magazine article from a railroad magazine (not TRAINS, R&R or Railpace) showing them enlarging clearances in Darby. The work was done as part of the original clearance enlarging work done in the mid-90's to allow double stacks into PA across the Pennsy mainline. The reason double stacks currently don't use the line is because they have no place to go; clearances through Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore prohibit stacks from traveling up and down the B&O.

Here are some recent pics of the project. For the past couple of months the work has focused on the building of the retaining wall and drainage ditches along the roadbed. However, recently I noticed that it appeared they had begun paving the lowered roadbed of the track they had removed; in a previous enlargement project (at Rhawn Street in NE Philly) this was done just prior to the laying of the ballast and installation of the new track.