Renewal area should be divided into three zones, with only one renewed at a time:
West of western freight customer, freight service. provided from east.
East of eastern freight customer, freight service provided from west.
Between te two freight customers, freight service from both directions.
Where is this at?
Oops, wrong thread.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
Dave's referring to the April 27 Newswire story about Amtrak's six week shutdown of track 1 between Lancaster and Rheems. This affects several industries but the feedmills at Mount Joy take the hardest hit. I would think NS would seek a workaround.
Rick
rixflix aka Captain Video. Blessed be Jean Shepherd and all His works!!! Hooray for 1939, the all time movie year!!! I took that ride on the Reading but my Baby caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride.
rixflixDave's referring to the April 27 Newswire story about Amtrak's six week shutdown of track 1 between Lancaster and Rheems. This affects several industries but the feedmills at Mount Joy take the hardest hit. I would think NS would seek a workaround. Rick
What NS seeks and what Amtrak grants can be two entirely different things.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
OK, please, someone else, pass-on the three-zone idea to Amtrask,m NS, and the STB. Thanks.
Need not credit me. Credit the Trains website or yourself. Thanks.
The issue as I understand it is not customers receiving goods from the 'opposite side' of the gap, but industries left stranded while it is being worked on.
One wonders whether service on one of the multiple tracks could be opened for relatively short 'windows' for precisely-scheduled trains.
One also wonders whether, for six weeks, the load could be carried via something like bulk pneumatically loaded trucks, to a transfer point temporarily established on a gravel pad alongside the timed active rail. There is an active transload facility on one of the G&W lines in Erie, PA that handles tens of carloads a day that way, transferring between covered hoppers and suitably-equipped trucks.
To clarify matters, the three czones are only between the "control points" (I believe the current term and term for many years for interlockings) where there are crossovers between the two mainline tracks (and often sidings permitting power to change ends). Elsewher, the dedicated freight move would use the trsack kept in service. The only real complication is one of dispatching, coordinating the special freright move with the construction trsins using the track in service.
This kind of thing has never been a problemj for freight railroads, who very seldom shut down service when thoroughly renewing track. For Amtrak to see it as a problem will prervent them from acquiring freight lines lines with good passenger poterntial.
Maybe their concern is safety. I can think of a couple of recent incedents where track workers were hit and killed by trains in the Phily area.
daveklepperTo clarify matters, the three czones are only between the "control points" (I believe the current term and term for many years for interlockings) where there are crossovers between the two mainline tracks (and often sidings permitting power to change ends). Elsewher, the dedicated freight move would use the trsack kept in service. The only real complication is one of dispatching, coordinating the special freright move with the construction trsins using the track in service. This kind of thing has never been a problemj for freight railroads, who very seldom shut down service when thoroughly renewing track. For Amtrak to see it as a problem will prervent them from acquiring freight lines lines with good passenger poterntial.
Without knowing the specific layouts of the control points and the layout of the industires on the tracks and Amtrak's work plan for the work they intend to do.
We know nothing of substance to be able to make any kind of a informed analysis.
This is not a defense of Amtrak just a statement of reality.
Look here, does anyone have an actual track chart for Track 1 through the prospective area of work, indicating where the actual sidings that have 'service blocked' are?
In theory, if work were to be protracted, you might see temporary access from Track 2 via something like low-speed flange-bearing crossings that keep the rail on Track 1 continuous as the work is done. But if the work only takes 'six weeks' that's operationally and financially not very workable.
My guess is some combination of short-distance truck intermodal and 'business interruption insurance' for those industries dependent on rail track access. I have not seen it established that any business other than the feed mill operation actually is discommoded beyond that.
From Newswire:
"The $167 million project covers 14.8 miles of track and involves installation of 37,400 concrete ties and 149,600 feet of rail. Some 74,800 feet of track will be undercut, while 261,800 feet of track will be resurfaced."
If we do the math 14.8 miles means all the other figures means a complete rebuild lock, stock, and barrel. The most important item not completely defined is how much undercutting is to be done. If the undercutting is to be done to base soil then just ripping up all the track, ties, ballast, and subgrade will happen. IMO there is no way to maintain traffic . Amtrak will start at one end having a rail train pickup used rail all way to end of project. Right behind used ties will be set aside ( probably some distance ). Then ballast will be taken up and sent somewhere to be cleaned Then do whatever undercutting desired by front end loaders.
Restore by reversing the procedure.
On a double-track line with "control point" crossovers, straight-line progress, one-end-to-the-other, is not essential. Zones are possible, and that may be what they are adopting. Or "pancake": switches from the remaining active track. Or some combination.
blue streak 1 Then ballast will be taken up and sent somewhere to be cleaned
There is equipment that will undercut, clean the ballast, then replace it without removing the track. I have no idea how quickly such a machine can work - probably a few miles a day.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
tree68 blue streak 1 Then ballast will be taken up and sent somewhere to be cleaned There is equipment that will undercut, clean the ballast, then replace it without removing the track. I have no idea how quickly such a machine can work - probably a few miles a day.
I never worked with a Undercutter, I did work with a Shoulder Ballast Cleaner - the machine 'cut away' the ballast at the end of the ties, on both sides, coveyed the ballast to a shaker mechanism where the dust and dirt was separated from the ballast, the ballast was then conveyed back to the cavity created by its earlier removal - the dirt was coveyed to railcars coupled to and following the maching. The machine move at approximately 1 MPH. The machine had to skip switches and crossovers.
In multiple track territory a ballast cleaner creates protection issues with movements on adjacent tracks.
Amtrak is still far from having their MofW protections in place and effective.
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/several-hurt-in-incident-near-boston-mbta-station-police-say/3043946/#:~:text=Five%20Amtrak%20employees%20were%20hurt,representative%20said%20in%20a%20statement.
BaltACD I never worked with a Undercutter, I did work with a Shoulder Ballast Cleaner - the machine 'cut away' the ballast at the end of the ties, on both sides, coveyed the ballast to a shaker mechanism where the dust and dirt was separated from the ballast, the ballast was then conveyed back to the cavity created by its earlier removal - the dirt was coveyed to railcars coupled to and following the maching. The machine move at approximately 1 MPH. The machine had to skip switches and crossovers. In multiple track territory a ballast cleaner creates protection issues with movements on adjacent tracks.
One time saw a video of shoulder ballast cleaner also had an attachment that was undercutter. Under cutter was a few feet in front shoulder ballast cleaner.
BTW Amtrak is replacing all rail and ties. Maybe someone can get a video of this operation.
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