New Rochelle Track Work?

I've seen track crews recently hard at work in New Rochelle. Can anyone tell us what kind of work is being done?

NH Chris

New CP217 interlocking and New CP215 interlocking.

Stupid Question: What does CP mean? I see it everywhere, but have yet to figure out it's meaning.

a remote controlled interlocking or Control Point

CP 216 is being reworked as well to get Amtrak onto the Hell Gate at a faster speed. New Rochelle station TK 4 and the Gauntlet will also be redesigned in the near future.

currently CP216 is not being worked on, first CP217 and CP215 need to be finished and activated before any work will start on CP216

Andy: "CP" is "controlled point" and is a quick and easy way to reference an interlocking by milepost number. Metro-North has three lines, so you have to have a unique system. Mythical CP 55 would be located on the Hudson Line, 55 miles from Grand Central Terminal. An interlocking 55 miles up the roughly parallel Harlem Line would be CP 155. The same interlocking 55 miles along the New Haven Line would be CP 255. That way, no two interlockings can be confused as to which line they are located on. Since MN doesn't have territory that extends more than 100 miles, it hasn't been a problem with three-digit CP's.

Did I get that right? That was the way I understood it.

-otto-

If this is work on an interlocking, why the new catenary bridges and towers?

Tracks and the overhead wires are related structures. If your tracks are over here, and your wires are way over there, then the trains don't go. If you have a switch or a crossover, but no supporting wire structure, then the trains don't go.

-otto-

Is it possible for anyone to take pictures and post them?

Sure, it's possible, if you can get safe access from nearby public property.

-otto-

It's about time that they are working on cp216. Amtrak trains really take their time there. The rehabilitation of the interlocking there is just like when transit fixed up hunter to allow their trains to access NS from Amtrak.