Railroad Forums
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STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 1:41 pm Okay, trying to reduce this down... Section 3 has the "future plans": (a lot has cleared the EIS/Enviro Assessment)
- Monorail down I-270
- Maglev project
gprimr1 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 10:52 pm Some of these look promising.
The Baltimore Tunnel replacement will do a lot of good, as well as the Bridge Replacements.
The Tunnel replacement needs to drop the freight tunnel , there is maybe one train a night.
Putting in a connection at bayview, and restoring the camden connection to use Howard street tunnel would make more sense. Or, since there isn't that much traffic, have CSX or another company serve customers, south of bayview to DC.
Southern Maryland MARC service in my opinion is the easiest bang for the buck. The track is barely used by CSX and has good wye access to the NEC. I would propose the trains run MAS from the wye to Union Station and use the New Carlton bypass.
This has been studied , a few times.
https://www.charlescountymd.gov/home/sh ... 9546200000
The issues are that bowie interlocking would need to be redone, and The route would require quite a few over passes, and complete rebuild to even reach 79mph.
That said, a mix of fast service to DC, and slower locals running every 20 minutes to bowie station, so there are connections to either DC, or baltimore, could work. The area is fast growing, so a brightline type real estate/rail service operation could be feasible.
I'm wondering how Baltimore to Frederick MARC service over the OML would work. That's still a fairly active line.
The problem is the MAS at best is 40mph, and stations are away from housing developments.
Even if there wasn't that much traffic, it couldn't be rebuilt to be competitive with highways.
Regular Buses with BRT type stations on the 70MPH rt70 run would make more sense.
Or even (using one of the MTA proposals for central maryland transportation), BRT from baltimore to chatam mall area ellicott city,and then continuing on RT 70 to frederick.
MARC to the Eastern Shore, I like it, and I think a lot of people would use it. The Berlin right away I see is problematic, so what I would do is build a large station where the line crosses MD-90 called "Ocean Transfer." The line can still terminate in Berlin though. At Ocean Transfer, you'll board a bus to Ocean City, which is included in the ticket price. There will be two bus routes. One from Inlet-61st Street and one from 62nd-MD Line.
I don't see a direct connection across the Bay, but Expresses on the NEC, which then go south on delmarva trackage upgraded to 79mph, could be popular. Though, It's something Maryland and Delaware could work on jointly, As folks may also want to go the beaches north of Ocean City, too.
I am 100% against the Maglev and Monorail when there are so many other useful projects that will do so much more good.
Lastly, I'll ask the question...
With the amount of growth in south central PA, is it time for Maryland to start talking about relaying the NCR and establishing a York to Baltimore route?
The question is, would one run faster commuter type trains, on the same ROW as the light rail?
The light rail maxes out at 50 mph, It would be slower than the Rabbit buses now running on I83 from york.
Now, rebuilding that lightly user former WM to that area, and running DMU at least to west Baltimore MARC station,
That could work.
scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:39 pm The Tunnel replacement needs to drop the freight tunnel , there is maybe one train a night.The thing here is that Bayview is two yards, CSX and NS, next to each other separated by Amtrak track. You may have freight along the NEC but you also have freight that's sharing Light Rail track at North Avenue, where there's was a yard "behind" the Light Rail shop there. I don't know how much freight traffic is on it now.
Putting in a connection at bayview, and restoring the camden connection to use Howard street tunnel would make more sense. Or, since there isn't that much traffic, have CSX or another company serve customers, south of bayview to DC.
Well, the track would hit city centers, like Ellicot City's Main Street, but for into-Baltimore commuting? Yeah, there's a lot of track and tunnel rebuilding that needs to happen, and you might as well lay down new track along I-70... and rebuild the B&P because you'll be using it, and you'll be missing a lot of cities and TOD opportunities.I'm wondering how Baltimore to Frederick MARC service over the OML would work. That's still a fairly active line.The problem is the MAS at best is 40mph, and stations are away from housing developments.
Even if there wasn't that much traffic, it couldn't be rebuilt to be competitive with highways.
Regular Buses with BRT type stations on the 70MPH rt70 run would make more sense.
Or even (using one of the MTA proposals for central maryland transportation), BRT from baltimore to chatam mall area ellicott city,and then continuing on RT 70 to frederick.
I can see where trains across the Bay at the Bay Bridge would be viable. We have numerous commuter buses doing the Annapolis/Kent Island to DC run. I bet they're back to full now. They're overdue for running rail.MARC to the Eastern Shore, I like it, and I think a lot of people would use it. The Berlin right away I see is problematic, so what I would do is build a large station where the line crosses MD-90 called "Ocean Transfer." The line can still terminate in Berlin though. At Ocean Transfer, you'll board a bus to Ocean City, which is included in the ticket price. There will be two bus routes. One from Inlet-61st Street and one from 62nd-MD Line.I don't see a direct connection across the Bay, but Expresses on the NEC, which then go south on delmarva trackage upgraded to 79mph, could be popular. Though, It's something Maryland and Delaware could work on jointly, As folks may also want to go the beaches north of Ocean City, too.
Right now, there's the Rabbit Express 83s, which is commuter bus that hits two Light Rail stops. It makes four trips daily, and not all stops (mostly rush hours for all stops). I can't see that happening when it looks like it's servicing mostly jobs in the Hunt Valley/Timonium area. York to Baltimore Inner Harbor? That's "how many cars can we get off I-83" question that needs studying.With the amount of growth in south central PA, is it time for Maryland to start talking about relaying the NCR and establishing a York to Baltimore route?The question is, would one run faster commuter type trains, on the same ROW as the light rail?
The light rail maxes out at 50 mph, It would be slower than the Rabbit buses now running on I83 from york.
Now, rebuilding that lightly user former WM to that area, and running DMU at least to west Baltimore MARC station,
That could work.
STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 8:42 pmscratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:39 pm The Tunnel replacement needs to drop the freight tunnel , there is maybe one train a night.The thing here is that Bayview is two yards, CSX and NS, next to each other separated by Amtrak track. You may have freight along the NEC but you also have freight that's sharing Light Rail track at North Avenue, where there's was a yard "behind" the Light Rail shop there. I don't know how much freight traffic is on it now.
Putting in a connection at bayview, and restoring the camden connection to use Howard street tunnel would make more sense. Or, since there isn't that much traffic, have CSX or another company serve customers, south of bayview to DC.
Well, the track would hit city centers, like Ellicot City's Main Street, but for into-Baltimore commuting? Yeah, there's a lot of track and tunnel rebuilding that needs to happen, and you might as well lay down new track along I-70... and rebuild the B&P because you'll be using it, and you'll be missing a lot of cities and TOD opportunities.scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:39 pm I don't think there is any freight traffic whatsoever on the light rail, now. At times in the last decade, it's looked like the connection had been cut. I know the intermodal yard is disused. I know there was an attempt by someone to sue the state to be able to serve customers on the north end of the light rail, (there was a city paper article, 15 years ago), but no one takes it seriously. It's a shame, McCormick recently built a Logistics center at Sparrows point, I bet it would likely be a few freight cars of traffic daily from Hunt Valley. Maybe Canton Railroad could do so, with trackage rights.
I think the first freight customer south of bayview is CDF, which is also south of the claremont branch.I'm wondering how Baltimore to Frederick MARC service over the OML would work. That's still a fairly active line.The problem is the MAS at best is 40mph, and stations are away from housing developments.
Even if there wasn't that much traffic, it couldn't be rebuilt to be competitive with highways.
Regular Buses with BRT type stations on the 70MPH rt70 run would make more sense.
Or even (using one of the MTA proposals for central maryland transportation), BRT from baltimore to chatam mall area ellicott city,and then continuing on RT 70 to frederick.
scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:39 pm I don't think there is enough traffic through howard county to warrant that much construction. It's Sprawl west of where the Enchanted Forest used to be. Plus, main street Ellicott City isn't where people live and work (it's half facades, post floods, anyway) "downtown" Ellicott city is up at Golden Triangle, on Rt 40.
There really isn't a downtown New Market, or West Friendship, and Mt Airys business district is on top of the tunnel. The fairgrounds could make do with a BRT station (with tunnel under 70) for special events, going by how packed the roads were for the Night Market there, recently. And Turf Valley could have a station (with shuttle buses serving the area).
I think it's about 30 miles from Bethany Lane to Frederick Bus terminal.I can see where trains across the Bay at the Bay Bridge would be viable. We have numerous commuter buses doing the Annapolis/Kent Island to DC run. I bet they're back to full now. They're overdue for running rail.MARC to the Eastern Shore, I like it, and I think a lot of people would use it. The Berlin right away I see is problematic, so what I would do is build a large station where the line crosses MD-90 called "Ocean Transfer." The line can still terminate in Berlin though. At Ocean Transfer, you'll board a bus to Ocean City, which is included in the ticket price. There will be two bus routes. One from Inlet-61st Street and one from 62nd-MD Line.I don't see a direct connection across the Bay, but Expresses on the NEC, which then go south on delmarva trackage upgraded to 79mph, could be popular. Though, It's something Maryland and Delaware could work on jointly, As folks may also want to go the beaches north of Ocean City, too.
scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:39 pm I Think it would be a lot more cost effective to rebuild DCL to 60mph (if not 79mph), and use the Speeds on the NEC
to go around, than rebuild (or realistically, build brand new ROW) the route from Kent island and a new Bay Bridge.
Honestly, with Sea Level Rise, by the time one got a rail line built across bay to OC, there won't be an OC anymore.Right now, there's the Rabbit Express 83s, which is commuter bus that hits two Light Rail stops. It makes four trips daily, and not all stops (mostly rush hours for all stops). I can't see that happening when it looks like it's servicing mostly jobs in the Hunt Valley/Timonium area. York to Baltimore Inner Harbor? That's "how many cars can we get off I-83" question that needs studying.With the amount of growth in south central PA, is it time for Maryland to start talking about relaying the NCR and establishing a York to Baltimore route?The question is, would one run faster commuter type trains, on the same ROW as the light rail?
The light rail maxes out at 50 mph, It would be slower than the Rabbit buses now running on I83 from york.
Now, rebuilding that lightly user former WM to that area, and running DMU at least to west Baltimore MARC station,
That could work.
scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:39 pm Oh boy! Yet another study the state can do, and file away with the Ark of the Covenant.
Seriously, how much commuting is being done from south PA, post covid?
I know people moved there for cheaper cost of living, but many can work remotely.
I also don't know what would be faster, rebuilding the NC from ground up (since i think it's now rated from 10mph), verses the WM which is at least 40. And it'll mean taking away the popular bike trail, for the trains. (trails can be done with commuter/regional rail, look at SMART in california)
