Francis Scott Key Bridge - Class I Impact

[Gilbert B Norman]

This April 7 video is rail unrelated, but for one who follows maritime affairs - because I hold that the railroad industry is closely related to such, it "breaks new ground".

But if Moderators hold it has no standing here, please just kill it:

https://youtu.be/sB1UwdFART8?feature=shared

Finally, let us not lose sight that this will be an active topic for quite some time to come. The replacement bridge will take at least five years to complete, and maybe even ten. During that time, the Channel will periodically close disrupting maritime, and rail, traffic. Further,
as Mr. Olesen properly noted, Chessie and Topper will not get to handle all the building materials, they will have some. So I predict there will be a good number of rail related events on which to report and discuss.

[STrRedWolf]

What's the network benefit of having rail at over FSKB2.0?

Seems there's more than enough capacity on the existing tracks in and around the port.

It'll expand capacity and avoid shoving hazmat cars under Baltimore's Howard Street. CSX had issues with that back in 2001. Remember the tunnel fire?

The only issue here is that on the west side, it's CSX, but on the east side, it's NS and a short line.

[scratchyX1]

What's the network benefit of having rail at over FSKB2.0?

Seems there's more than enough capacity on the existing tracks in and around the port.

It'll expand capacity and avoid shoving hazmat cars under Baltimore's Howard Street. CSX had issues with that back in 2001. Remember the tunnel fire?

The only issue here is that on the west side, it's CSX, but on the east side, it's NS and a short line.

Remember that NS only serves the NEC south of Baltimore 2 times a week.
But Csx would use it.

[STrRedWolf]

Remember that NS only serves the NEC south of Baltimore 2 times a week.
But Csx would use it.

Exactly. CSX would need to build a connecting track to ether get up to the Port and it's tracks up to Bayview or build track alongside NS to get to the east side of Bayview. Ether way, you wouldn't have to worry about derailments under Howard Street.

[eolesen]

I think I'd rather deal with the risk of a hypothetical derailment in a tunnel than the very real and perpetual added cost of maintaining track over 1+ miles of water....

Sent from my SM-S911U using Tapatalk

[NHV 669]

Especially on a bridge that is anything but a flat grade...

[Gilbert B Norman]

It'll expand capacity and avoid shoving hazmat cars under Baltimore's Howard Street.

The only issue here is that on the west side, it's CSX, but on the east side, it's NS and a short line.

Mr. Wolf I respect you are a "native" and the less HAZMAT Chessie is handling through the heart of Baltimore must be noted.

But Sparrows Point, to review their own propaganda, has only six berths for ocean going vessels - and for that comparative few, it would be a hard sell to the public purse, to build the new bridge to accommodate rail transport.

[STrRedWolf]

It'll expand capacity and avoid shoving hazmat cars under Baltimore's Howard Street.

The only issue here is that on the west side, it's CSX, but on the east side, it's NS and a short line.

Mr. Wolf I respect you are a "native" and the less HAZMAT Chessie is handling through the heart of Baltimore must be noted.

But Sparrows Point, to review their own propaganda, has only six berths for ocean going vessels - and for that comparative few, it would be a hard sell to the public purse, to build the new bridge to accommodate rail transport.

You're assuming that it would *only* serve Sparrows Point. I am not making that assertion, especially if CSX can swing a deal and/or otherwise build the track needed to connect it to it's Bayview yard. Sparrows Point would be nice but my thinking is more through-running to the other side of the city.

[scratchyX1]

It'll expand capacity and avoid shoving hazmat cars under Baltimore's Howard Street.

The only issue here is that on the west side, it's CSX, but on the east side, it's NS and a short line.

Mr. Wolf I respect you are a "native" and the less HAZMAT Chessie is handling through the heart of Baltimore must be noted.

But Sparrows Point, to review their own propaganda, has only six berths for ocean going vessels - and for that comparative few, it would be a hard sell to the public purse, to build the new bridge to accommodate rail transport.

You're assuming that it would *only* serve Sparrows Point. I am not making that assertion, especially if CSX can swing a deal and/or otherwise build the track needed to connect it to it's Bayview yard. Sparrows Point would be nice but my thinking is more through-running to the other side of the city.

The state did make a plan this century for a harbor freight tunnel, and one of the alignments would have roughly followed the Key bridge to Sparrows Point. I'll need to see if I can dig it up.

[eolesen]

I know everyone is foaming at the opportunity to get FeddyBucks for something that didn't affect them materially, but let CSX and the State fund a tunnel if it's that critical to have the rail crossing down there...

[Gilbert B Norman]

First, Please allow:

Continuing, this topic is most definitely rail related. m/v Dali will "soon be a ship again" (a paraphrase of a line of text from one of my s/s Normandie books). Both Chessie and Topper had best be "advertising" those Train & Engine jobs that surely they abolished "for the duration". They also are confronted with how many experienced T&E simply pulled up stakes and "reloed" exercising their seniority elsewhere on their systems (thank you, NY Dock, for taking care of relo expenses). If such be the case, then both roads will have to "go to the street" and start training T&E from the ground up; all causing disruption to smooth handling of Port traffic (presumed industry contemporaries of mine - Messrs. Engineer Spike and ExCon may have concurring or differing views on this point. Those in service today may hold that "times have changed since you left, Mr. Norman").

Finally, the welfare of the crew does not go unescaped. Sure, when they hired on for a voyage including ports of call in the US, they knew there would not be any "Shore Liberty". But they have been confined for now four weeks - and they are not criminals!!!!

[R36 Combine Coach]

The state did make a plan this century for a harbor freight tunnel, and one of the alignments would have roughly followed the Key bridge to Sparrows Point. I'll need to see if I can dig it up.

Interestingly the Key Bridge itself was originally planned as a tunnel in the late 1960s to complete the Baltimore Beltway, but by the time bids were due up for the initial contract in 1972, the high cost made it more practical
for a bridge over a 2-lane tunnel.

[Gilbert B Norman]

The "precision cut" was executed at 5PM ET today. The TV coverage I watched (WBAL) shows a rather clean cut. The vessel remains aground as planned with forward tanks ballasted.

Rail related: time for Chessie and Topper to recall employees who chose not to exercise seniority elsewhere on their respective systems.

[eolesen]

I wouldn't issue any recalls just yet. There's still a lot of work left to do underwater for that channel to be opened.

[Gilbert B Norman]

But, Mr. Olesen, I do think that June 1 remains reasonable