SEPTA seeks $$ for major West Trenton Line Help

[nomis]

As long as you are within an interlocking (in this case CP WOOD & CP TRENT), you can have either CSX or SEPTA within the interlocking limits. PTC protects up to the interlocking limit, but not within.

I can't remember which track the High and Wide movements transverse coming down the TREL enroute to NS & Morrisville. I believe it is the inbound track.

[TrainPhotos]

So in short the 2 track line is now one track for SEPTA after all of this? I'm having trouble understanding what the end result will be. Track schematics only help to a point.

[pumpers]

So in short the 2 track line is now one track for SEPTA after all of this? I'm having trouble understanding what the end result will be. Track schematics only help to a point.

The one downside of all of this is that Septa will have only 1 track from about Yardley up to West TRenton, because CSX and SEPTA each get one of the 2 tracks on the bridge over the Delaware River, and there is no room on the bridge for a 3rd. Not a big deal since the distance is so short. South of Yardley SETPA will have 2 tracks all to themselves. JS

[pumpers]

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Why is the CSX track labelled "exclusively freight" , but SEPTA tracks are only "PRIMARILY passenger" (CAPS added by me for emphasis). Is there local freight on SEPTA? JS

[nomis]

Some CSX locos {the ones based out of Woodbourne Yard] will have ASCES PTC equipped to make such moves as C770 to BCIP off of Tr.1 south of Woodbourne & C746 to Lansdale via Jenkintown. It is no longer the absolute term of "exclusively."

[westernfalls]

Thanks, Push/Pull Master, for revealing the plan.
It speaks for itself about how much thought they put into this.
Are they really going to leave all those jogs at Wood interlocking? I doubt it.
Are they really going to put in a parallel crossover there that serves no useful purpose? Very costly, doubt that too.
Maybe it impressed the politician who gave up a pile of taxpayer money for it.
There's a real plan out there somewhere and it wasn't prepared by the Art Department from notes on the back of a napkin.
And we still have passengers walking across a main track to access their train at Langhorne, Woodbourne, and some future station up the way.

[wagz]

The second parallel crossover makes it possible for inbound and outbound SEPTA trains to move through the interlocking simultaneously, so it will likely be a benefit during rush hour when train volume is high.

CSX use of WOOD interlocking will be minimal now. Just recently CSX finished their undercutting project allowing double stacks to operate straight through Philadelphia, so now there are no regular trains that will need to use the Wood Connector to access the NS Morrisville Line. The locals already mentioned will the only ones to regularly use the interlocking.

[nomis]

wagz, I was inferring the infrequent Sunday morning Heat Exchanger units, which IIRC will still use the wood connecting track to get to NS & thus Morrisville.

[TrainPhotos]

So, really this is becoming the wodbourne line with a single track west trenton branch? What will happen to the wire over the south track of the bridge? I was excited about all of this, but now: disappointed.

[pumpers]

Just recently CSX finished their undercutting project allowing double stacks to operate straight through Philadelphia, so now there are no regular trains that will need to use the Wood Connector to access the NS Morrisville Line.

So it is really done? and in service? No more double stacks on the Highline to Abrams and back on the Morrisville line, and vice versa? It has been such a long time in coming I'm not quite sure I believe it.

When this separation with SEPTA is wrapped up CSX will really have changed their game through the Philadlelphia area.

One question - how far south of Philly can double-stacks go, Baltimore (I bet the Calvert Ave tunnel or whatever is called is a no go) or it only as far as the South Phil. yard.
JS

[wagz]

Just recently CSX finished their undercutting project allowing double stacks to operate straight through Philadelphia, so now there are no regular trains that will need to use the Wood Connector to access the NS Morrisville Line.

So it is really done? and in service? No more double stacks on the Highline to Abrams and back on the Morrisville line, and vice versa? It has been such a long time in coming I'm not quite sure I believe it.

When this separation with SEPTA is wrapped up CSX will really have changed their game through the Philadlelphia area.

One question - how far south of Philly can double-stacks go, Baltimore (I bet the Calvert Ave tunnel or whatever is called is a no go) or it only as far as the South Phil. yard.
JS

Yep, a couple weeks ago I drove over the Red Lion Rd bridge over the Trenton Line and was shocked to see double stacks underneath. So I texted resident forum member SilverlinerII and he said it had been finished for five weeks, so I'd estimate early February or late January. I actually asked about other trains getting double stacks, and the Philadelphia Sun south of the city is no-go for double stacks. The autorack trains from the south can only make it up to Twin Oaks down near the DE state line.

wagz, I was inferring the infrequent Sunday morning Heat Exchanger units, which IIRC will still use the wood connecting track to get to NS & thus Morrisville.

Wow I didn't know they were still doing those. Shouldn't be an issue on Sunday mornings though. I would imagine they could stay on the CSX main all the way to WOOD now and SEPTA could use the new track (whatever they number it) between Yardley and WOOD if they needed to. Then they would only be fouling the whole railroad from TRENT to Yardley.

[wagz]

So, really this is becoming the wodbourne line with a single track west trenton branch? What will happen to the wire over the south track of the bridge? I was excited about all of this, but now: disappointed.

SEPTA still has two independent tracks all the way to Yardley. Only the portion from Yardley to West Trenton is single track since the bridge over the Delaware is only two tracks wide.

[pumpers]

... the Philadelphia Sun south of the city is no-go for double stacks. The autorack trains from the south can only make it up to Twin Oaks down near the DE state line.

Wagz, what & where is "Philadelphia Sun"?

Also I found some CSX clearance maps http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/customers/ ... ance-maps/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . Take a look on both the double=stack and the auto-train clearance maps. As you say, there is a dead spot just south of Philadelphia, down to Twin Oaks. Auto stacks can get through Baltimore too.

I imagine CSX is working on the Twin Oaks to Soouth Philadelhia, to open up that stretch too. Can anyone confirm? JS

[ekt8750]

I think he meant Philly Sub. There is a height restriction east of the Feltonville siding thanks to the low clearance of Boone Tunnel which runs under Chester Pike on the Darby/Sharon Hill border. Theoretically CSX could dredge the tunnel if they felt they need to (and someone footed the bill ala the Trenton Line).

[pumpers]

Got it. I looked on google maps , and from the auto unloading facility next to Rte 322 down by Chichester, up through Darby to the Gray's ferry area, I counted about 20 overpasses going over the tracks! Besides the tunnel under Rte 13 you mention, I would bet there are quite a few more that would need work.

The double stacks you saw at Red Lion Rd, presumably they were coming/going from/to SOuth Philly yard. What do they do there - transfer to/from truck? or ship? or make them single stacks and send them further south from there?
JS