Virginia unveils plans for new Long Bridge

The 117-year-old Long Bridge is at 98% rail capacity during peak hours. Construction is set to begin on an adjacent bridge that will double rail capacity and add a span across the Potomac for pedestrians and cyclists, with a target opening date of 2030. The $2.3 billion project is not fully funded, so the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is applying for $829 million in federal funds to close the gap.

Both bridges will be built between the existing Long Bridge and the Metro bridge, so that is limited room to work with

VPRA says eventually the plan is for VRE to begin offering more weekend service and service later at night, in addition to more two-way service at various times.

https://wjla.com/news/local/virginia-pa ... yland-marc

I will be curious to know if the new bridge will have any passive provisions made for the reinstatement of catenary, to someday allow the Siemens bi-mode trainsets to minimize diesel running in the District. Prior to the construction of the new Ivy City Sub it wouldn’t have been possible to restore the 12kV electrification, but now that it does exist and has built-in expandability, I think it’s at least worth a meaningful discussion about extending the catenary south of Union Station and restoring it across the Potomac.

Good point! Since the 3rd and 4th tracks will be laid on "VIRGIN" ground the underground utilities will have to be located. Why not go ahead and pothole the caissons for the CAT poles? As well support holders on the bridge itself. Those will reduce track absolute work windows for installing the CAT.

west point
Good point! Since the 3rd and 4th tracks will be laid on "VIRGIN" ground the underground utilities will have to be located. Why not go ahead and pothole the caissons for the CAT poles? As well support holders on the bridge itself. Those will reduce track absolute work windows for installing the CAT.

The preliminary engineering drawings show the top flanges in the through plate girders in the bridges that cross Maine Avenue, Washington Channel, Ohio Drives, DC I-395 and George Washington Parkway as being wide enough to accommodate future catenary poles. The column caps that support the Potomac River spans are also wide enough to accommodate future catenary poles. All the polls and various other hardware to support future catenary will not be as beefy as what the Pennsylvania Railroad built there in the 1930s.

Any catenary into Virginia from Washington Union Station would need to go at least to Richmond and Lynchburg to justify its installation.