Potomac Yard Metrorail station

KTHW
You can view photos posted every few weeks here: https://www.alexandriava.gov/potomacyar ... ?id=110766

Seems a plan to build a future infill station (172.0 kB PDF File) at Potomac Yard has been around sense the early planning of the system.

I find it interesting that those drawings are stamped 1974. That was well before Pot Yard was planned to be shut down.

KTHW
I find it interesting that those drawings are stamped 1974. That was well before Pot Yard was planned to be shut down.

Potomac Yard was already beginning its decline after demise of the Penn Central and the dominance of the Chessie System as one its co-owners. The area shown shown as stock pens on the drawing had already been abandoned along with nearby refrigerator car icing platform and ice house. The number of receiving and departure tracks in the yard had been reduced by the early 1970s, most notably on the south end of the yard. The land in Crystal City east of Crystal drive use to occupied by the receiving and departure tracks on the north end of the yard. Much of the land on the north end of Crystal City north of 15th Street was converted from light industry to other uses by the early 1970s. The last facility modified in yard before its closing was the TOFC terminal. It was built on top of the tunnel between Sladers Lane and the tunnel portal.

A thought came to mind some time after seeing the 1973 drawing (172.0 kB PDF File). In WMATA's train control room numbering schema. Train control room numbers ascending from 1 typically control trains serving stations. Train control room numbers descending from 98 do not. J01, N06 and C11 are train control room that break that rule. It is a know fact that J01 (Quaker Lane on the Blue line) and N06 (Wolf Trap on the Silver Line) are in locations where future infill stations could be built. This 1973 drawing adds C11 (Potomac Yard) to that list.

I'm a little surprised to see the original tracks get removed to add the Potomac Yard station, surely they could have left at least one as a bypass track?

Why would they want a bypass track?

I think, given the WMATA's finances, that maintaining power systems, signals, switches, and trackage that isn't going to be used to be undesirable.

If they were going to run express trains, Pot yard is likely a stop every train would still make.
They took out the original track after building the noma station, too.

Metro announces Potomac Yard wont open until next year, BL/YL to remain closed south of Nat Airport until 2023

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Potoma ... ension.cfm

YOLO wrote: ↑Fri Sep 30, 2022 12:31 pm Metro announces Potomac Yard won't open until next year, BL/YL to remain closed south of Nat Airport until 2023

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Potoma ... ension.cfm

No, those 6 stations will reopen in Nov 2022. Potomac Yard won't open until 2023.

Metro's Twitter account has posted a video (cab view) of the first test train to roll through the new station. https://twitter.com/wmata/status/158490 ... KXqtK2P4dg

It's interesting to me that the approach to the station - and all of the track equipment - seems to be concrete, as opposed to ballast. Also, I am sure the models showed this, but I was surprised to see a fully covered platform, which I guess makes this station unique amongst outdoors stations.

I wish all of the outdoor stations were completely covered like this

JDC
It's interesting to me that the approach to the station - and all of the track equipment - seems to be concrete, as opposed to ballast.

My guess the reasoning for the concrete track bed is to eliminate the removal of cross ties during track maintenance in the confined space of the station.

Arlington Cemetery and Cheverly are the only other two twin platform station with ballasted track beds.

Also, I am sure the models showed this, but I was surprised to see a fully covered platform, which I guess makes this station unique amongst outdoors stations.

The station was originally planed to have entrances at both ends. When the south entrance was deleted to cut costs it was likely figured to retain the full length platform canopy to eliminate the need and higher cost to lengthen it when the second future entrance is added.

National Airport is the only other station with a full length platform canopy. It was lengthened in the late 1990s when the second entrance was add to the north end of that station as part of the upgrades of terminals B and C .

When in November will the Blue Line reopen?

charding wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 1:52 pm When in November will the Blue Line reopen?

According to WMATA's website, it's now set for Nov. 5.