Amtrak in Virginia updates (and other transportation)

Reconstruction on the Bellwood Sub includes building a new Wye to turn trains, a 3 track yard to service passenger trains (currently servicing is at Staple Mills station, so that would need to move), adding a passenger platform on the west side of the Main Street Station, and maybe other improvements I can't find specified.

I believe there’s also the need for a second bridge to cross the James River (current bridge is single track with low speeds), a need to fully double track between RVR and RVM as well as build an eastern bypass to Acca and to flip RVR platforms to the other side of the tracks.

James river bridge was double track at one time. CSX single tracked it, so there is room for another track.

dgvrengineer wrote: ↑Tue Sep 20, 2022 11:40 pm James river bridge was double track at one time. CSX single tracked it, so there is room for another track.

Has the bridge flooded several times by the James river? If a way could be found to raise the bridge without impacting the CSX C&&O east west track just south of the main street station then the bridge track might be raised. Due to freight work south of the bridge believe that a second track is necessary. The tripple crossing might need some revision?

I believe that south of river, the Bellwood requires the usual round of upgrades (track, signals, grade crossings) all the way to Chester to bring it up to passenger standards.

Broad Street was mentioned upthread. It is a terrific building. But it’s not downtown and it’s off the mainline. All trains had to reach it via a loop.

Even if the bridge across the James could have double track again (and I don’t believe it is wide enough all the way across), you’d still want a second bridge for the east side of the station to facilitate passenger trains using all four potential platform surfaces. Otherwise trains would only be able to use the western end of the station if they are continuing anywhere south besides NPN.

KTHW wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 8:40 am Even if the bridge across the James could have double track again (and I don’t believe it is wide enough all the way across), you’d still want a second bridge for the east side of the station to facilitate passenger trains using all four potential platform surfaces. Otherwise trains would only be able to use the western end of the station if they are continuing anywhere south besides NPN.

It looks like the mayo island bridge was built single track, past the flood wall. It looks like there is only one platform now, on the east side, and it looks like it was built in the path of the 2nd track. That said, unless the structure can't handle it, VA could rebuild the inside track, so passenger trains would have a dedicated track, once service expands to more than 3 NPN/norfolk trains a day. I think there is enough room under the NS triple crossing bridge, for two tracks, with new bridge built just to the east of the current one.
I don't see how SEHSR trains could serve the east platform, there's too much in the way, including i95. Even the SEHSR engineering diagrams only show west platform service.

So , the plan is to move the platforms to northside, of staples mill, with bridges/tunnels through the yard leads? And then overpass over the yard, for passenger trains to reach the northside of richmond terminal ? There was a third track , for most of that route. Where would the Y/maintenance facility go?

The diagrams I’ve seen show future RVR high level platforms on the east side of the station and a bypass for all passenger trains on the east side of Acca to get trains to RVM without having to cross over the southern throat. With all trains besides the Auto Train going to RVM in the future, I figure this will help deconflict freight/passenger movements in the Richmond area. I’ll try to track down the documents and share links here.

There's a two track James River Bridge planned.
https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/sehs ... s-virginia

I found the project site for the DC to Richmond improvements: https://dc2rvarail.com

The wye at Bellwood would be used to turn trains and the east leg of that wye would gain a three track maintenance facility.

That map is really hard to read.

I'm not understanding the why main street station would have low level platforms.
Make the outside tracks for freight, any inside passenger, with level platforms.

In the EIS, there is discussion of the need to be able to inspect locomotives and cars at Main Street Station, and that crew walkways extending beyond the limits of the platforms will be built for that purpose. Perhaps they anticipate that a rescue locomotive may need to be attached to train at the station and a high level platform on a viaduct would prevent that?

The last time I was near Main Street Station was during September 1962 to board the C&O FFV with its daylight ride through the New River Gorge (those Robert Young Pullmans sure had large windows). The place was an eyesore; trust it has been fixed up over the years.

RandallW wrote: ↑Thu Sep 22, 2022 7:11 pm In the EIS, there is discussion of the need to be able to inspect locomotives and cars at Main Street Station, and that crew walkways extending beyond the limits of the platforms will be built for that purpose. Perhaps they anticipate that a rescue locomotive may need to be attached to train at the station and a high level platform on a viaduct would prevent that?

Okay, I'm a bit confused with the EIS. Are they're going to have two tracks on both sides (total of four?) and have passengers detrain from all four?