4th track at BWI

I recently read where funds have been allocated to start planning for a 4th track at BWI. I don't think there is enough room between the existing platforms to squeeze in another track. Does this mean that they would have to tear down and replace an existing platform? They haven't even completed replacing the northbound one yet (going on a couple of years now...). It would be a waste of money to re-do a platform that is only a couple of years old.

I don't have the slightest idea what's planned for BWI station.

But, if it were me, something like this would be efficient.....

Track 1
Platform 1
Track 2
Track 3
Platform 2
Track 4

But, there's already 3 tracks between the platforms. So, it'll probably be something like this....
Track 1
Platform 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Platform 2
(Track 5 for future expansion)

Between the station house and the northbound platform there is a gap that is more than a track sized gap. They would put a fourth track in the gap and utilize the existing NB platform. The only noted alternative was to redo the whole thing and put in an island platform but this is the feasible solution.

Here is a sloppy mockup in paint of what it would be like:


The black lines on the platforms and station building. The red lines are the tracks. The blue lines outline what the walkover structure would be like.

Davis

Sort of - there will be a new side platform where the current station building is. The current station will be torn down and rebuilt.

See this for details (the poster is President of the MARC Rider's Advisory Council, so the info is credible)
http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.p ... t&p=175832

electricron wrote:
But, there's already 3 tracks between the platforms. So, it'll probably be something like this....
Track 1
Platform 1
Track 2
Track 3
Track 4
Platform 2
(Track 5 for future expansion)

I wonder about future fifth track -- it may be a problematic because of wetland and environment issues on the land -- if Amtrak ever wants to build a track, it'll have to be -- I'm sorry -- I'm not sure what's the word --- track on bridge or bridge track. I can imagine that would be expensive to build.

TravelDave wrote:I wonder about future fifth track -- it may be a problematic because of wetland and environment issues on the land -- if Amtrak ever wants to build a track, it'll have to be -- I'm sorry -- I'm not sure what's the word --- track on bridge or bridge track. I can imagine that would be expensive to build.

I can't believe when some people see wetland, they automatically believe nothing new can be built on it. I strongly disagree. It might mean spending slightly more money reducing any impact, but it doesn't me you can't build there. That's why the Feds require environmental impacts, not to stop a project dead in its tracks, but to figure out how to minimze the impacts.

He's not talking about impacts, he's talking about the fact that it's a marsh, and you can't lay track in a marsh. They'll most likely have to build a retaining wall and then bring in lots of fill if they want to do it. Either that or put the whole thing on a causeway.