Virginia Avenue Tunnel project

The new Virginia Avenue Tunnel is scheduled to open December 23, 2016



When the new tunnel is opened, the old one will be closed for its renovation.

Super cool!

How are they doing vs schedule? And is the old tunnel being re-dimensioned, to or just refinished?

Ahead of schedule. The old tunnel will be rebuilt from the ground up.

So they went with the "two new tunnels" option?

Arlington wrote:So they went with the "two new tunnels" option?

From the Virginia Ave Tunnel Pamphlet it looks like they did.

Well, I suppose this is news. CSX put out a video showing the first double-stack freight heading through the tunnel. https://twitter.com/CSX/status/812346165320679424" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Once VAT is done, what would be the next plate height limitation to the north?

srepetsk wrote:Well, I suppose this is news. CSX put out a video showing the first double-stack freight heading through the tunnel. https://twitter.com/CSX/status/812346165320679424" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Once VAT is done, what would be the next plate height limitation to the north?

Once you crossover the Anacostia River, Timetable directions are E-W. The next restriction to the East is Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore, East of Baltimore the next major restriction is Boone Tunnel just West of Philadelphia.

City of Baltimore and CSX have submitted a Fast Track grant application for assistance in the renovations necessary for the Howard Street Tunnel.

The first train through the tunnel was remarkably free of graffiti (at least the first 1/3 of the consist anyway.)

amtrakhogger wrote:The first train through the tunnel was remarkably free of graffiti (at least the first 1/3 of the consist anyway.)

Like you don't part your hair and wash you face when you KNOW you are going to have your picture taken.

That was more than just free of graffiti. Those engines were polished and shined with matching company containers double stacked in the first three wells.

gokeefe wrote:That was more than just free of graffiti. Those engines were polished and shined with matching company containers double stacked in the first three wells.

Spit & Polish for the photo op!

Have they left themselves room for a 3rd tunnel? Seems like the two new bores are far enough north in the ROW that they could come back and put a 3rd in if they'd wanted to .

...the February 2017 edition of Trains magazine has an article on the Virginia Ave tunnel...page 38...

Arlington wrote:Have they left themselves room for a 3rd tunnel? Seems like the two new bores are far enough north in the ROW that they could come back and put a 3rd in if they'd wanted to .

Two should be adequate for the next century or so - the next bottleneck is the single track from control point Chesapeake Jct to control point Tuxedo. The problem is the necessity to construct a bridge.