Silver Line Dulles WMATA Metrorail progress/pictures

JackRussell is correct those columns are the supports for the mezzanine.

Took some picture in Tysons this afternoon. The first pair of post tension spans are done. All of the segment for the inbound track on the second pair are hanging from the gantry.

The column between tracks K1 and K3 east of the West Falls Church station now has a bearing cap on it and is ready for span beams to be set. Most of the adjacent column to be built on the 1977 piles haven't come out of the ground yet.

5 of the 10 concrete beams have been set on the north end of the flyover spans in the media of the Dulles Connector Road.

The segment of shifted eastbound lanes on Leesburg Pike VA-7 between Dolley Madison Boulevard VA-123 and Gosnell Road are permanent. The right edge has a curb and gutter. Behind gutter is a strip of fresh sod and a 6' wide concrete side walk.

Piles along the eastbound side of the Tysons Central 7 (Pike Seven Plaza) station in the ditch have been driven.

About 3/4 of the outbound track N2 cut and cover tunnel is totally done, roughly 1/4 of the inbound track N1 tunnel is done

So they just build up the platforms around all of the supports? That makes sense structurally. Will that station have ballasted track or will the rails be on concrete? I would assume ballast as per usual but it does look a little elevated off the ground there. Maybe they just haven't built up the land around it yet.

Davis

"strench707"
So they just build up the platforms around all of the supports? That makes sense structurally.

Based on past practice, this will be different. Typical designs in the past integrated the mezzanine and canopy columns into the wall that support the platform slabs.

Will that station have ballasted track or will the rails be on concrete? I would assume ballast as per usual but it does look a little elevated off the ground there. Maybe they just haven't built up the land around it yet.

Ballasted track. The only surface station likely to have a concrete track bed will be the Tysons Central 7 (Pike Seven Plaza) station in the ditch. All of the elevated stations and the one station in subway will have concrete track beds.

Okay thanks for the clarification.

Also, one other question I have is will some tracks have wooden ties?

A lot of times with concrete mainline tracks (subways or railroads) they use switches with wooden ties and also wooden criss-cross pieces.

Since they claim they will use concrete ties do you guys think it will be completely concrete or will select track pieces like I mentioned above and maybe some pocket tracks be wooden?

Davis

"strench707"

Also, one other question I have is will some tracks have wooden ties?

A lot of times with concrete mainline tracks (subways or railroads) they use switches with wooden ties and also wooden criss-cross pieces.

Since they claim they will use concrete ties do you guys think it will be completely concrete or will select track pieces like I mentioned above and maybe some pocket tracks be wooden?

At minimum all trackage will be on concrete ties. Not sure about under turnouts.

One of the things that crossed my mind a couple of days ago. . . The contractor doing all of the post-tension segmented bridge work has setup casting plant on the site of the future Dulles Yard. This plant will likely be employed to fabricate other precast concrete components that will used in the phase I stations. They will likely retain it to fabricate the precast concrete components for Phase II. Seems to me they could also use this plant to cast concrete ties.

Very true, that would make sense. I'm just wondering if they plan on using wooden ties for some track components.

Davis

As far as I've seen from various sources, they are not going to use any wood ballasts for the project. Metro decided to switch to concrete and apparently track/ballast replacement in the future will also transition from wood to concrete. Over the long haul, there is less expense needed to maintain concrete so it should help save some money in that department.

Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project Construction Photos 06-23-2010

The first pair of post tension spans are done. The outbound track N2 span of the second pair is done, the segments for the inbound track N1 are hanging from the gantry.

The column between tracks K1 and K3 east of the West Falls Church station now has a bearing cap on it and is ready for span beams to be set. Most of the adjacent column to be built on the 1977 piles haven't come out of the ground yet.

5 of the 10 precast concrete beams (3 inbound track N1, 2 outbound track N2) have been set on the columns on the north end of the flyover in the media of the Dulles Connector Road VA-267. Not sure how many precast concrete beams will be used on south end in the media of VA-66.

All of the pile driving for elevated columns is done east of the Tyson Central 123 (Tysons Center) station. Most of the columns are done between the Dulles Connector Road VA-267 and the Tyson East (WestGate) station and at the crossing of the Capitol Beltway VA I-495.

As of 06 21 2010 more then 1,000' of the roughly 1,700' long outbound track N2 bored tunnel has been excavated, more the 750' of the inbound track N1 tunnel has been excavated.

About 3/4 of the first segment of the outbound track N2 cut and cover tunnel is done, roughly 1/4 of the inbound track N1 tunnel is done.

Piles along the eastbound side of the Tysons Central 7 (Pike Seven Plaza) station in the ditch have been driven.

The segment of shifted eastbound lanes on Leesburg Pike VA-7 between Dolly Madison Boulevard VA-123 and just beyond halfway from Gosnell Road to Spring Hill Road is permanent. The right edge has a curb and gutter. Behind the gutter is a strip of fresh sod and a 6' wide concrete side walk. This is the first time the roads around a future surface metrorail will be totally completed before major construction begins.

N Route Silver line flyover east of West Falls Church Station:


Columns, pier construction VA I-66.


Columns, pier construction VA I-66.


Column stub between track K1 and K2 east of West Falls Church station with new bearing cap.


Columns, pier construction VA I-66.


Columns, pier construction VA I-66.



Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road north of VA I-66.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road north of VA I-66.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road north of VA I-66.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road north of VA I-66.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road north of VA I-66.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road north of VA I-66.


Span beams outbound track N2 north end of flyover.


Span beams, abutment retaining wall piles outbound track N2 north end of flyover.


Span beams outbound track N2 north end of flyover.


Span beams outbound track N2 north end of flyover.


Span beams inbound track N1 north end of flyover.

Post-tension bridge segment lifting gantry:





Outbound track N2.


Outbound track N2.


Outbound track N2.


Segments attach to hoists inbound track N1.


Segments attach to hoists inbound track N1.


Segments attach to hoists inbound track N1.


Segments attach to hoists inbound track N1.


Segments attach to hoists inbound track N1.


Segments attach to hoists inbound track N1.

Column construction in VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange:


Columns, post-tension segment lifting gantry. VA-267 Dulles Connector Road south of VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard.


Columns, beam form VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.


Columns, beam form VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.


Columns, beam form VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.


Columns, beam form VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.


Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.



Columns VA-267 Dulles Connector Road VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange.

Column construction along Dolly Madison Boulevard, Tyson East (WestGate) station:


Column VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard between Chain Bridge Road on Scotts Crossing Road.


Columns footings east of Tyson East (WestGate) station.


Columns footings east of Tyson East (WestGate) station.


Tyson East (WestGate) station.


Tyson East (WestGate) station.


Tyson East (WestGate) station.

Column construction in VA I-495 Capitol Beltway VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange:











Column construction east of Tysons Central 123 (Tysons Center) station.







Cut and cover tunnel trenches in VA-7 Leesburg Pike VA-123 Dolly Madison Boulevard interchange:


Cut and cover tunnel trenches north side of Leesburg Pike VA-7.


Inbound track N1 cut and cover tunnel North side of Leesburg Pike VA-7.


Inbound track N1 cut and cover tunnel North side of Leesburg Pike VA-7.


Outbound track N2 cut and cover tunnel North side of Leesburg Pike VA-7.


Outbound track N2 cut and cover tunnel North side of Leesburg Pike VA-7.

Tysons Central 7 (Pike Plaza) station:


Grading for lane shift westbound Leesburg Pike VA-7.


Grading for lane shift westbound Leesburg Pike VA-7.


Grading for lane shift westbound Leesburg Pike VA-7.


Shoring piles south side of Tysons Central 7 (Pike Plaza) station.


Shoring piles south side of Tysons Central 7 (Pike Plaza) station.


Shoring piles south side of Tysons Central 7 (Pike Plaza) station.


Curb, gutter and sidewalk south side of Leesburg Pike VA-7 between Dolly Madison Boulevard VA-123 and Gosnell Road.


Curb, gutter and sidewalk south side of Leesburg Pike VA-7 between Dolly Madison Boulevard VA-123 and Gosnell Road.


Curb, gutter and sidewalk south side of Leesburg Pike VA-7 between Dolly Madison Boulevard VA-123 and Gosnell Road.

Awesome photos!

In regards to this photo of the old WFC pier stub, it's kind of hard to tell - is that two piers or one? In other words, is that a new, built-from-scratch pier and then the stub next to it, or does the newer pier incorporate the stub?

Yeah the stub looks more forward.

Davis

strench707 wrote:Yeah the stub looks more forward.

Davis

I was wondering the same thing myself. My understanding however is that when they extended the pier the extension was of a somewhat smaller diameter than the old pier, so it could give the impression that the new pier is behind the old one.

"SchuminWeb"
In regards to this photo of the old WFC pier stub, it's kind of hard to tell - is that two piers or one? In other words, is that a new, built-from-scratch pier and then the stub next to it, or does the newer pier incorporate the stub?

It the angle the picture was taken from. The 1977 Stub base is not round, It is oval. The new hammerhead pier cap is built on top of the 1977 stub in the middle of the oval.


Before


Before


After


After

Okay, so why was the original one built in an oval shape? Did they anticipate a different support method or do you think it was just to be able to accommodate a wide range of supports when it was actually time to build?

Davis

Aha... I never realized that the stub was oval. I always thought it was round. Thanks for clarifying.

Hey guys my dad was driving through the general Tysons area for a dinner and he grabbed two pics on his cellphone (low quality cam) of the construction. He's not over there much so he couldn't give me exact locations but if any of you guys know feel free to chime in.

These were taken today:






Davis