DeggestyOn my first trip from Chicago to Washington (in 1968), we backed into the station. On my last few trips, we have stopped on one of the lower level tracks--once, a train for Florida was waiting there for us, to take passengers who were transferring.
In 1968 the B&O was operating your train. After May 1, 1971 Amtrak has been operating your train as well as WUS.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
On my first trip from Chicago to Washington (in 1968), we backed into the station. On my last few trips, we have stopped on one of the lower level tracks--once, a train for Florida was waiting there for us, to take passengers who were transferring.
Johnny
Wyes- common
Loops - Less common
Turntables & Transfer Tables - dying breed.
How much real estate do you have? (restrictive geometry can kill any turning facility) and how much do you really need it? (or is this another operating supervisor bubba on an ego trip?)
Last three wyes I placed were to replace turntables. Last loop track for turning engines also turned branchline trains...with engine storing capacity for sets of locomotives (two to four to a spur for blue flag simplicity.)
NittanyLionWhen the Pennsylvanian terminates in Pittsburgh (or a Capitol Limited is truncated), Amtrak runs a few miles east to Highland Park to turn the train there.
NittanyLion Enzoamps Washington Union Station has a big wye. Passenger trains pull in, then they can back through the wye to turn for return trip. SOme trains used to wye on the way in, finally backing into the terminal. There is a wye at WUS, but it is entirely on Amtrak property. They don't use the CSX/ex-B&O mainline to turn the trains. When the Pennsylvanian terminates in Pittsburgh (or a Capitol Limited is truncated), Amtrak runs a few miles east to Highland Park to turn the train there. And, back in the hinterlands I grew up in, the Allegheny Valley interchanges with the Buffalo & Pittsburgh in an otherwise non-descript place called Eidenau.
Enzoamps Washington Union Station has a big wye. Passenger trains pull in, then they can back through the wye to turn for return trip. SOme trains used to wye on the way in, finally backing into the terminal.
Washington Union Station has a big wye. Passenger trains pull in, then they can back through the wye to turn for return trip. SOme trains used to wye on the way in, finally backing into the terminal.
There is a wye at WUS, but it is entirely on Amtrak property. They don't use the CSX/ex-B&O mainline to turn the trains.
When the Pennsylvanian terminates in Pittsburgh (or a Capitol Limited is truncated), Amtrak runs a few miles east to Highland Park to turn the train there.
And, back in the hinterlands I grew up in, the Allegheny Valley interchanges with the Buffalo & Pittsburgh in an otherwise non-descript place called Eidenau.
The wye at WUS is totally CSX's, as the hypotonuse is owned by CSX. WUS property line is at the clearnace point of the terminal lead switches at Control Points QN Tower and F Tower. The Capitol Limited enters and leaves WUS from the QN Tower side. MARC commuter trains from the West use QN Tower entry point and the trains from Baltimore use the F Tower entry point. As a rule of thumb - CSX crews are not qualified beyond the clearance point of the lead switches at QN Tower and F Tower.
In the B&O passenger days - most all trains arriving WUS backed in using one leg or the other as necessary.
Back in 1967 when the P&W Subdivision was B&O territory I worked the Operator's position at Eidenau. At the time the P&W Sub was all double track from Pittsburgh to New Castle.
As it turns out, I just a few days ago rode the TVRM Missionary Ridge Local, behind ex-Sou #4501. On one end of the run (East Chattanooga), they turn the loco on a turntable (fun to watch). On the other end, Grand Junction, they turn the loco on a wye (also fun to watch). The one "point" of the wye which abuts Cromwell Rd appears to have a spring switch, which makes sense, as they always traverse the wye in a clockwise direction. https://goo.gl/maps/7q1SbYCorVLkm84P6
daveklepperDid not know the catenary had been removed Woodlawn - Mt. Vernon East. I had heard there were goof reasons for both 3rd rail and wire in this section, but apparently MN decided the maintenance expense was not worth it.
More interesting, to me, is how the transition to catenary seems to be happening. I'm used to seeing variable-tension cat require substantial anchor bridging at the end of a span. Here it seems just to appear at a regular bridge, with the first few wire spans with trolley at an angle section-to-section, suggesting that for some distance this is a low-current 'voltage-only' reference, and mechanical landing zone for the pans. Even so, I didn't see what I thought would be full span anchoring before the third rail stopped.
Also looked for artifacts of the power changeover and did not see or hear them. That in itself is pretty impressive, even though I know the art was perfected in Europe decades ago.
Thanks, Overemod. Did not know the catenary had been removed Woodlawn - Mt. Vernon East. I had heard there were good reasons for both 3rd rail and wire in this section, but apparently MN decided the maintenance expense was not worth it.
Flintlock76 If it's the junction point between two main lines I'd hesitate to call it a wye, but it certainly looks like it could be used as one.
If it's the junction point between two main lines I'd hesitate to call it a wye, but it certainly looks like it could be used as one.
The third connecting track turning it into a triangle arrangement 100% makes it a wye. It doesn't really matter if the three tracks are main lines or secondary tracks.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
Enzoamps Wye versus turntable ; you can turn a whole train on a wye.
Wye versus turntable ; you can turn a whole train on a wye.
Depends on how long the tail track is.
Wyes are common at junctions, but also exist on their own for turning equipment. If the railroad has the space, a couple of switches are less expensive than a turntable pit and bridge - especially in areas where the pit filling with snow can be an issue. In this case, a wye provided for a purposes of turning equipment might have a tail that's only long enough for a set of engines (but still easy to turn something much larger than a turntable).
York1 I know very little about actual railroad terms. At Gibbon, Nebraska, the UP mainline from Omaha meets the mainline from Kansas City. Is this considered a 'wye'?
I know very little about actual railroad terms.
At Gibbon, Nebraska, the UP mainline from Omaha meets the mainline from Kansas City.
Is this considered a 'wye'?
YES
Lithonia Operator To me a wye, by definition, is a place where a train can be turned. I don't think Harpers Ferry is a wye, but I really don't know. Now I'm not really sure why the term evolved as "wye," because the "Y" is only part of it; you need the third leg. It seems like they would have come to be known as "triangles."
To me a wye, by definition, is a place where a train can be turned. I don't think Harpers Ferry is a wye, but I really don't know.
Now I'm not really sure why the term evolved as "wye," because the "Y" is only part of it; you need the third leg. It seems like they would have come to be known as "triangles."
I think they started being called "wyes" because the turnout for the tail track is usually an equilateral turnout. That is, no straight and diverging routes and looks like a "Y" from an aerial view.
However, there are wyes that don't have a Y shaped turnout in any of the switches. They are still called wyes for operational purposes.
Jeff
daveklepper Let us not forget Mott Haven. Much of the yard has gone, but I believe the wye is still there, and is used by trains from New Haven and Stamford directly to Yankee Stadium.
Let us not forget Mott Haven. Much of the yard has gone, but I believe the wye is still there, and is used by trains from New Haven and Stamford directly to Yankee Stadium.
I found an interesting history of a once well-used wye.
It was on the New Jersey & New York RR, operated by the Erie. The wye was located in Nanuet NY, and the article tells the story of the New City branch with an 1890 topographical map showing the wye, and the now also abandoned Piermont branch.
The line's still operated by New Jersey Transit rail as the Pascack Valley line as far as Suffern but the wye's long gone.
http://www.rcrcc.com/history/ncstation/NJNYRR.htm
Just the sheer number of tracks at St. Louis Union Station then is amazing!
blue streak 1 In Deggesry's Bristol, Va - Tn there was once 6 wyes in various locations. They are all gone which will make any Amtrak service to Bristol needing to add one back. Deg can you name them all ? Sorry meant if you could locate them ?
In Deggesry's Bristol, Va - Tn there was once 6 wyes in various locations. They are all gone which will make any Amtrak service to Bristol needing to add one back. Deg can you name them all ? Sorry meant if you could locate them ?
Incidentally, the second track from the station was called the "Tennessee," and I did not find out why. There may have been some connection with the ET&V RR (the original name of the line to Knoxville). Perhaps the track right at the station was not the original track?
Regards - Steve
daveklepper And very impressive, and can someone please post a photo?
And very impressive, and can someone please post a photo?
From Wikipedia:
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...
St. Louis Union Station had multitrack double wyes into the terminal.
In my searching Google Earth for Roundhouses and turntables, I find that if there is a convenient Wye nearby, the RR's remove any remnent of a roundhouse and turntable, but if there is no Wye, at least the turntable is kept.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Mission Junction by LA Union Station has an unusual wye configuration. Rail lines run along both sides of the Los Angles River, and both of the lines have wyes into LAUPT. The leads that cross the river do not have enough room to make the the turn between the bridge and the riverside line, so they have to cross over the mainline and then curve back to the riverside.
https://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=34.0610&lon=-118.2278&z=16
Wyes were prevalent in the steam era, less so in the diesel era. Some engine terminals had both turntable and wye. Wyes were also used to turn freight cars that needed to be un/loaded on a certain side or end.
I wouldn't call Harpers Ferry a wye, it lacks the third side. But downstream a few miles at the fine old Point of Rocks station there is a wye where the old main and the metro division split.
Two connected wyes at Matteson, Illinois:
41.4950, -87.6986
41.4979, -87.7020
It was constructed as part of CN's acquistion of the EJ&E, and was completed in 2012. It was a great project - very well done - for those of us in the track alignment design sector of railway engineering (note that I had nothing to do with it other than to admire it and suggest it for the advanced course in track alignment design, into which it is being included). Pretty complete story here:
https://www.arema.org/files/library/2012_Conference_Proceedings/CN_Matteson_IL_Loop_Connection.pdf
Short version here: http://www.dhke.com/CRJ/matteson.html
- PDN.
At Deshler, OH, there are three "transfer" tracks that usually are referred to as "wyes" by trainwatchers there. While they have been used to turn power and some short trains, in general they only serve the purpose of a way to move from one mainline (N-S. E-W) to the other.
Just south of Deshler, one can pick out where a long-abandoned line took off to the southeast. It was configured as a wye, from what one can see.
I would opine that where turning equipment is concerned, if a railroad had the real estate available, and the servicing of engines didn't require a roundhouse, that a wye would be the option of choice. Nevermind other applications (serving customers, branchlines, etc) maintaining three switches has got to be easier than maintaining a turntable.
On the NYC Adirondack Division, there were, successively, two wyes at Big Moose, NY. The second shared most of a footprint with the first, which became too small for the engines in use. There is little evidence left of either. According to accounts, when NYC decided they no longer needed the wye there, the property was sold to a man who mined out all of the fill (there was quite a bit), then walked away from the property.
Also on the Adirondack Division, at Carter Station, there was a wye, but only one corner tied into the Adirondack Division. The wye was there to turn Racquette Lake Railroad equipment around. A curious setup, but one that may have existed elsewhere. The other end of the 17 mile long railroad included a loop.
Couple of famous ones here:
https://railfanguides.us/pa/rockville/rockville1.pdf
York, I may be wrong about this, but my understanding is that a wye is a wye. If you have a triangle where you could turn a train/engine, then, to me, that's a wye. So even though that junction might be never be used for reversing, I think it would still be called a wye.
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