Went by the L'enfant Plaza VRE Station in Washington recently and saw what looked to be potentially former Cantenary Arches over the Tracks. Does anyone have any information regarding this about what they couldve been used for and why they were put up? As far as i know Neither the Federal Government Nor the Richmond Fredricksburg & Potomac tried to do electrification south of union station but i havent read that much on the topic. Worth noting ive seen the same kind of derilict Cantenary Posts above the tracks en route to the Virginia Avenue tunnel, along the Anacostia Freeway. My theory now is maybe there was some electrification down to around long bridge done in the new deal era, however as it wasnt extended and there was redundant already electrified track into union station, it was abandoned with the RFP and later Chessie/CSX taking out all the posts save a few visible today. I could be wrong so if some of you are DC area and or you know more about it, feel free to inform me regarding the story of those cantenary arches.
Catenary did exist on the RF&P between Washington Union Station and Potomac Yard. This allowed PRR/PC freights to run directly to Potomac Yard to interchange with RF&P and Southern.
Thanks,yeah now it makes a lot more sense. If i remember there was also an interchange with the electrified Washigton & Old Dominion Railroad at Potomac Yard as well so that would have been another impetus for the conection down to it back in the day. Though the W&OD de-electrified during ww2.
Guess there was catenary thru the tunnel south from Union Station, as well as on the freight line? Maybe GG1s pulled troop trains or something like that, all the way to Potomac Yard?
There was no catenary south of WUS through the Capitol Hill tunnel. The wire ran around WUS, for freight only, on the "bypass" from Landover, through the Virginia Ave tunnel, over Long Bridge to Pot Yard.
Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak
A backwards Barriger pic
https://flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/12328821105/in/album-72157640553837545/
We're looking WNW at the junction of the freight and passenger lines -- right?
timzA backwards Barriger pic https://flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/12328821105/in/album-72157640553837545/ We're looking WNW at the junction of the freight and passenger lines -- right?
With the pictures being inscribed 'Balto' I suspect they are on the line from Washington Union Station to Baltimore.
To my knowledge hot wire ended at the North Mouth of the tunnel at Union Station. Through trains to the South changed power at Union Station in both directions.
PRR freight traffic departed the Main Track at Landover and proceeded down through Chesapeake Jct. where the B&O Alexandria Extension joined to move past Benning Yard, over the Long Bridge over the Potomac River and thence into Potomac Yard. For the PRR it was electric all the way. B&O used both steam and diesel for their trains into and out of Potomac Yard.
For the most part the PRR era catenary support bridges are still in place in the 21st Century - in the present they appear to be being used for today's commercial power distribution needs. PRR 'may' have had yard jobs out of Potomac Yard that 'may' have served customers South of the Union Station Tunnel to Potomac Yard with electric yard power.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
See the Washington Monument, in line with the track? Bet you can't find a straightaway like that north of the station. But you can, just out of the tunnels.
But I just looked at the pic again, and noticed the catenary above the passenger tracks is just one line, not directly above either track. Dunno what it's for, but it fooled me.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.