NEC Future: HSR "High Line", FRA, Amtrak Infrastructure Plan

I would love to see some more grade crossings on the NEC get eliminated. Not all can though. For example, in New London, I don't think the Winthrop Blvd one can be as Rt. 32 runs right alongside the right of way. Plus that's a very important street crossing as that provides easy access to the ferry terminals. The grade crossing at the station can't be eliminated as you have another street that runs right alongside the right of way. The Bank Street connector could probably be eliminated as that is mainly a pedestrian crossing-maybe replace that with a footbridge. Minors Line grade crossing should be eliminated and perhaps replaced. There aren't any streets that run right alongside the right of way there. Latimer Point Rd in Mystic can probably be replaced-no other streets that run right along the tracks. In Stonington, Elihu Island Rd and the crossing west of it could be eliminated-this stretch here, the tracks are straight and that would help the trains probably go a little faster.

That $50M could have been a typo for $50B. Could someone please check?

lpetrich wrote: ↑Sun Aug 08, 2021 5:49 pm That $50M could have been a typo for $50B. Could someone please check?

Even my elementary school kids can add, or should I suggest subtract?
Remember, the total for the program for railroads is just $66 Billion.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:42 pm

RRspatch wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 1:09 am The tunnels in Baltimore are on either side of the station. Just to the north of the station on the other side of "Paul" interlocking is the Union Tunnels. Just to the south of the station on the other side of "Charles" interlocking is the B&P tunnel. While the new B&P replacement tunnel will allow for faster speeds I'm not sure the existing speeds in the Union tunnels can be raised by very much.

The Union Tunnels are fairly straight... but the curves after it "northbound" are an issue.

It would be safe to assume any HSR plans on existing track would include a stop in Baltimore. Anything else would require moving the station and routing track between Franklin and Mulberry streets to underground tunnels (which to be honest, would be better than that *)[email protected]#( Highway to Nowhere).

I think we both recall one of the initial proposals was just that, using the highway to nowhere to tunnel under the howard street tunnel, with an underground station (possibly with connection to the subway), and then following RT40 underground out of town.
If this was the EU, or Asia, that's the route that would have been used.

Appearing in The Journal today.

Fair Use:

The B&P Tunnel, Amtrak’s oldest, snakes under homes and businesses in West Baltimore and links Baltimore’s Penn Station with Washington’s Union Station. It causes delays for more than 10% of weekday trains on the line, and modernizing it isn’t viable, railroad officials say. Persistent water leaks require regular track repairs, including $71 million in fixes last year. During winter, workers use poles to knock icicles off the tunnel ceiling so they don’t freeze up the electric lines that power trains.

Trains could hit 100 mph in the new tunnel, up from 30 mph in the existing tunnel. A new tunnel would speed up MARC commuter trains between Baltimore and Washington to under 30 minutes, more than 15 minutes faster than current express service. Shorter rides would expand commuting options, state officials say.

Likely "doesn't break ground" with our members such as Mr. Wolf, but to me there were some interesting bits and pieces of which I was unaware.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 8:33 am Appearing in The Journal today.

Fair Use:

The B&P Tunnel, Amtrak’s oldest, snakes under homes and businesses in West Baltimore and links Baltimore’s Penn Station with Washington’s Union Station. It causes delays for more than 10% of weekday trains on the line, and modernizing it isn’t viable, railroad officials say. Persistent water leaks require regular track repairs, including $71 million in fixes last year. During winter, workers use poles to knock icicles off the tunnel ceiling so they don’t freeze up the electric lines that power trains.

Trains could hit 100 mph in the new tunnel, up from 30 mph in the existing tunnel. A new tunnel would speed up MARC commuter trains between Baltimore and Washington to under 30 minutes, more than 15 minutes faster than current express service. Shorter rides would expand commuting options, state officials say.

Likely "doesn't break ground" with our members such as Mr. Wolf, but to me there were some interesting bits and pieces of which I was unaware.

71 million in one year?
what kinda work are they doing?

Takes a lot of $1 bills to plug the holes.

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 12:02 pm 71 million in one year?
what kinda work are they doing?

Grout injection in the leaks. Drain clearing. Pump maintenance. Baltimore is hilly as ****, so I bet some of the tunnel is below the water table in sections. Also, CHARLES interlocking is prone to flooding from heavy rain and/or water main breaks on Charles Street.