SEPTA seeks $$ for major West Trenton Line Help

[nomis]

Um ... check your ETT and tell us if the I95 OvHB can take equipment greater than 20'2" under the wire

[aem7]

I just checked some of my old records. The catenary wire profile between Wood and Trent was raised on both tracks to accommodate double stacks in 1995 and 1996.

[aem7]

The work was performed nightly by a third party contractor with assistance from SEPTA ET Dept.

[ExCon90]

The containers shown in the photo posted by nomis are standard steamship containers.

[25Hz]

Well there's the missing piece of the puzzle! -kindly stuffs it about double stacks-

Now, if only they could do something about the slippy-slidy ride in rain! -is whiplashed around- o.o

[MikeBPRR]

From Google Maps, there appear to be old bridge supports. In theory, and assuming that SEPTA actually had money, could any part of those supports be used for a second bridge?

[25Hz]

From Google Maps, there appear to be old bridge supports. In theory, and assuming that SEPTA actually had money, could any part of those supports be used for a second bridge?

Those piers have been sitting unused for about a hundred years, and if they somehow were useable they'd need serious scour protection if anything heavier than a loaded wheelbarrow were to be put across any bridge using them as footings.

The other issue is yardley station, which would need a complete rebuild to make room for extra track. the bridge there would need to be re-configured too, as there is also a ped passageway. Also, not sure how you'd wire it all up or the exact profile of the route.

The other thing, is that a freight would have to cross 2 tracks to get to the yard at woodbourne, or to get to the turn-off by neshaminy, so you'd probably see freights use the northern of the 2 current tracks, leaving septa with the 2 outside tracks.... that would take care of high platform issues...

[Wingnut]

I last rode out to West Trenton a few months ago. They had already re-graded the space for the third track between Woodbourne and Yardley and shifted over some signal masts as well. Any idea how much longer SEPTA will be using the current northbound track?

[NorthPennLimited]

I believe the Commonwealth and CSX are splitting the costs to separate SEPTA and CSX between Woodbourne and West Trenton by the end of this year since their PTC systems will be incompatable.

[pumpers]

Getting back to the complications of SEPTA having to crossover CSX to get to their West Trenton layover yard once CSX and SEPTA separate, assuming CSX gets the east track (compass wise) and SEPTA the west one , how hard would it be to have CSX just detour around the east side of the yard, maybe taking over the ROW of the easternmost yard track if going further east is a no go from the neighbors? And SEPTA would get both of the current main tracks (the eastern one to make up for the yard track lost). The curvatures don't look so bad for CSX in my admittedly amateur opinion, and it might be only 1/2 mile of new CSX track. Probably I am missing something obvious though.
JS

[pumpers]

I believe the Commonwealth and CSX are splitting the costs to separate SEPTA and CSX between Woodbourne and West Trenton by the end of this year since their PTC systems will be incompatable.

page 6 of this thread someone posted SEPTA got $10M from the feds for this too (unless there is a bait and switch going on at SEPTA..). How much does the whole thing cost? (although probably a lot is thrown into the budget like high level platforms....).
JS

[bikentransit]

What impact will this have on service between Woodbourne and WT?

[zebrasepta]

They're probably gonna give CSX one track which is probably bad news for West Trenton riders, unless somehow they can build a 3rd track...

[SCB2525]

The third track will be extended to Yardley, and SEPTA will be single track from Yardley to WT. This will likely have little if any impact on service except when things go awry.

[Wingnut]

Getting back to the complications of SEPTA having to crossover CSX to get to their West Trenton layover yard once CSX and SEPTA separate, assuming CSX gets the east track (compass wise) and SEPTA the west one , how hard would it be to have CSX just detour around the east side of the yard, maybe taking over the ROW of the easternmost yard track if going further east is a no go from the neighbors? And SEPTA would get both of the current main tracks (the eastern one to make up for the yard track lost). The curvatures don't look so bad for CSX in my admittedly amateur opinion, and it might be only 1/2 mile of new CSX track. Probably I am missing something obvious though.
JS

That's the pretty much the game plan as I understand it. Basically the SEPTA yard and the CSX through tracks will be trading places. CSX will have reverse curves instead of straight track through this area when it's all done. Whether they'll be eased enough to avoid a speed restriction, that I don't know.