Richmond Acca Yard Bypass by Spring 2018

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afigg

Engineer
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
5,896
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Virginia
Good news. Thanks to $117 million of Virginia funds, work has started on the long sought Richmond Acca Yard bypass which will speed up not only the Newport News and Norfolk Regionals, but also the Carolinian, the Silvers, the Palmetto, and the AutoTrain. There was $117 million of VA state funding for in the FY2016-2021 Six Year Improvement Plan (SYIP) for CSX under "Improvements Richmond to Petersburg for 2 Train Extension to Norfolk and Lynchburg Second Train" but I had not seen any details on what the improvements were. Now we have some.

Richmond Times-Dispatch: $132 million reworking of CSX's Acca yard proceeding step by step. Excerpt:

“You just crawl through Acca,” said Jeremy Latimer, rail programs administrator for the department.
But a $132 million reconfiguration of the yard that started in November and is scheduled to be finished in the spring of 2018, along with other related projects, aims to change that.

“Acca yard’s original main line configuration was that the main lines went straight down the middle of the yard and that made for extremely slow going, including Amtrak trains,” said Peter Burrus, the chief of rail at the state Department of Rail and Public Transportation who worked at CSX for 25 years.

“By creating this bypass, they can get around Acca yard much faster, without the other freight involvement.”

The state will contribute $117 million of the price tag, which also will include double tracking along 10 miles of railroad between Carson and Reams near Petersburg; and three new “crossovers,” which allow trains to switch between tracks at Westover Hills, Walmsley and Colonial Heights.
So, not only fixing the slow crawl through the Acca Yard, but also 10 miles of double tracking south of Petersburg with 3 new cross-overs? Not bad. Would be interesting to see what the projections are for trip time savings for the Norfolk Regionals and the Amtrak trains running south of Richmond.
 
Does any of this involve the tracks that run through Midlothian, VA? I used to live in a house that literally ran through just behind my backyard and I've seen freight and Amtrak passenger trains run through it...along with the occasional PT Barnum & Bailey circus trains running through it.....
 
This article says they're putting the bypass on the *west* side of the yard. All the previous plans I'd seen put it on the *east* side of the yard. I wonder what changed. Also, it seems hard to squeeze it in on the west side of the yard, and it looks like it'll be pretty curvy. Also further, this means all Amtrak trains to Richmond Main Street are going to be criss-crossing the traffic flow from Acca to CSX's southbound mainline
 
I've always wondered why not upgrade the Bellwood subdivision and run the Silvers via Main Street. Then build the bypass and have a decent ride that is fairly free of freight
 
The SEHSR plan is supposed to double-track the bridge over the James River and then upgrade the S line from there southwards, so that everything can be run through Main STreet station. Nobody seems willing to fund the James River bridge yet though :-(
 
This article says they're putting the bypass on the *west* side of the yard. All the previous plans I'd seen put it on the *east* side of the yard. I wonder what changed. Also, it seems hard to squeeze it in on the west side of the yard, and it looks like it'll be pretty curvy. Also further, this means all Amtrak trains to Richmond Main Street are going to be criss-crossing the traffic flow from Acca to CSX's southbound mainline
That sounds like they're going to be using the line that runs SW of Richmond proper.....That crosses Huguenot & Robious Rd (the tracks literally stop traffic on all sides when the train rolls through) and runs through my former backyard on its way South thru Midlothian, VA. Freight trains ran through that area so often I literally learned to ignore the sound of the trains running through there at night....and if I'm not mistaken, that line IS the line CSX runs for most of their southbound Richmond freight.
 
This article says they're putting the bypass on the *west* side of the yard. All the previous plans I'd seen put it on the *east* side of the yard. I wonder what changed. Also, it seems hard to squeeze it in on the west side of the yard, and it looks like it'll be pretty curvy. Also further, this means all Amtrak trains to Richmond Main Street are going to be criss-crossing the traffic flow from Acca to CSX's southbound mainline
That sounds like they're going to be using the line that runs SW of Richmond proper.....That crosses Huguenot & Robious Rd (the tracks literally stop traffic on all sides when the train rolls through) and runs through my former backyard on its way South thru Midlothian, VA. Freight trains ran through that area so often I literally learned to ignore the sound of the trains running through there at night....and if I'm not mistaken, that line IS the line CSX runs for most of their southbound Richmond freight.

Intersection of Huguenot and Robious is Norfolk Southern.
 
Funny thing is, and the article makes no mention of, is they built a passenger bypass (Passeger Main from North Acca to AY) on the west side of the yard in 1993. But due to poor planning Amtrak trains are often forced to run through they yard due to freight trains stopped on the Passenger Main.
 
Someone mentioned double tracking the bridge across the James. If you are talking about the A line, it is already double track, if I recall correctly. I believe you must mean the bridge over the Appomattox in Petersburg.
 
I've always wondered why not upgrade the Bellwood subdivision and run the Silvers via Main Street. Then build the bypass and have a decent ride that is fairly free of freight
Rerouting the passenger trains on the Bellwood subdivision has been proposed and studied at least several times. It is a slow single track line that would require considerable upgrades for passenger service and, as I recall, would always be slow because of the winding route.

But regardless of the route used to get to Main Street Station, the Silvers, Carolinian, Palmetto, Norfolk Regionals can't use the station until the bridge and S-line track south of the station are restored/upgraded. There is a Final EIS for the Richmond Main Street to Raleigh SE HSR corridor that starts on the northern end right at RVM. So the environmental studies and approvals are in place if Virginia DRPT decides to initiate and fund projects for the S-Line tracks and bridge heading south from RVM.
 
This article says they're putting the bypass on the *west* side of the yard. All the previous plans I'd seen put it on the *east* side of the yard. I wonder what changed. Also, it seems hard to squeeze it in on the west side of the yard, and it looks like it'll be pretty curvy. Also further, this means all Amtrak trains to Richmond Main Street are going to be criss-crossing the traffic flow from Acca to CSX's southbound mainline
That sounds like they're going to be using the line that runs SW of Richmond proper.....That crosses Huguenot & Robious Rd (the tracks literally stop traffic on all sides when the train rolls through) and runs through my former backyard on its way South thru Midlothian, VA. Freight trains ran through that area so often I literally learned to ignore the sound of the trains running through there at night....and if I'm not mistaken, that line IS the line CSX runs for most of their southbound Richmond freight.

Intersection of Huguenot and Robious is Norfolk Southern.
Ahh...thank you. I stand corrected. Either way, I've seen Amtrak pass through my old backyard at least once a week, if not more. Does that line eventually rejoin the main line heading south toward Florida?
 
This article says they're putting the bypass on the *west* side of the yard. All the previous plans I'd seen put it on the *east* side of the yard. I wonder what changed. Also, it seems hard to squeeze it in on the west side of the yard, and it looks like it'll be pretty curvy. Also further, this means all Amtrak trains to Richmond Main Street are going to be criss-crossing the traffic flow from Acca to CSX's southbound mainline
That sounds like they're going to be using the line that runs SW of Richmond proper.....That crosses Huguenot & Robious Rd (the tracks literally stop traffic on all sides when the train rolls through) and runs through my former backyard on its way South thru Midlothian, VA. Freight trains ran through that area so often I literally learned to ignore the sound of the trains running through there at night....and if I'm not mistaken, that line IS the line CSX runs for most of their southbound Richmond freight.

Intersection of Huguenot and Robious is Norfolk Southern.
Ahh...thank you. I stand corrected. Either way, I've seen Amtrak pass through my old backyard at least once a week, if not more. Does that line eventually rejoin the main line heading south toward Florida?
How long ago are you talking about? AFAIK there are no regularly operated Amtrak routes through midlothian, VA... but if you go towards the eastern end across the city line on Midlothian turnpike (but not midlothian, va) you get some Amtrak action.
 
Funny thing is, and the article makes no mention of, is they built a passenger bypass (Passeger Main from North Acca to AY) on the west side of the yard in 1993. But due to poor planning Amtrak trains are often forced to run through they yard due to freight trains stopped on the Passenger Main.
I do hope this is not true, and if it is true I hope the second bypass of this yard has a better agreement with the host railroad so does not became another parking space for freight trains. New Orleans had the same issue with a bypass getting used as a parking spot.
 
This article says they're putting the bypass on the *west* side of the yard. All the previous plans I'd seen put it on the *east* side of the yard. I wonder what changed. Also, it seems hard to squeeze it in on the west side of the yard, and it looks like it'll be pretty curvy. Also further, this means all Amtrak trains to Richmond Main Street are going to be criss-crossing the traffic flow from Acca to CSX's southbound mainline
That sounds like they're going to be using the line that runs SW of Richmond proper.....That crosses Huguenot & Robious Rd (the tracks literally stop traffic on all sides when the train rolls through) and runs through my former backyard on its way South thru Midlothian, VA. Freight trains ran through that area so often I literally learned to ignore the sound of the trains running through there at night....and if I'm not mistaken, that line IS the line CSX runs for most of their southbound Richmond freight.

Intersection of Huguenot and Robious is Norfolk Southern.
Ahh...thank you. I stand corrected. Either way, I've seen Amtrak pass through my old backyard at least once a week, if not more. Does that line eventually rejoin the main line heading south toward Florida?
How long ago are you talking about? AFAIK there are no regularly operated Amtrak routes through midlothian, VA... but if you go towards the eastern end across the city line on Midlothian turnpike (but not midlothian, va) you get some Amtrak action.
I never said regularly operated Amtrak routes...I was only mentioning my own personal observations that I saw an Amtrak train passing by at least once and sometimes twice a week.
 
The SEHSR plan is supposed to double-track the bridge . . . and then upgrade the S line from there southwards, so that everything can be run through Main Street station. Nobody seems willing to fund the . . . bridge yet though :-(
I'm amazed to see the Commonwealth of Virginia putting up $117 million to do this. I applaud them. (And applaud CSX for putting $15 million into the project, granted that they'll see savings for themselves come from it.)

If every state with lots of passenger rail put $100+ million into upgrades every year or two, we could see a lot get done. Illinois used to be a leader, til Gov Ruiner ruined the program. Pennsylvania has put good money into the Keystones, and looks like it might step up for more trains n tracks Harrisburg-Pittsburgh. North Carolina and California.

But Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Texas, not so much.
 
The article raises more questions than it answers. It talks about an Acca yard bypass to avoid running through the middle of the yard. But that is something that was done a few years ago. And it talks about the bypass going west of the yard. Again, that is where the current bypass goes as clearly shown in some of the photos (on left side of yard in overhead image). I ride it fairly often on the Palmetto. Occasionally the dispatcher still routes the train through the old alignment through the middle of the yard but not the norm. I can only speculate that it is just improving the existing alignment and providing a better crossover at the south end of the yard to access the former SAL line to Main St. station for the Newport News trains. Depending on how this is configured, it could well reduce delays for those trains due to freight traffic in/out of Acca. It would do little for the majority of trains heading on the mainline heading south across the James and coming off the existing bypass.

I was surprised to see the article mention Peter Burrus as head of VA DOT rail division. I can think of no one more qualified. He was a very effective CSX operating Superintendent and had responsibility for the railroad operations between Savannah and Richmond - including Acca yard. I'm very curious as to the details on how this changes the current operations.
 
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Funny thing is, and the article makes no mention of, is they built a passenger bypass (Passeger Main from North Acca to AY) on the west side of the yard in 1993. But due to poor planning Amtrak trains are often forced to run through they yard due to freight trains stopped on the Passenger Main.
I do hope this is not true, and if it is true I hope the second bypass of this yard has a better agreement with the host railroad so does not became another parking space for freight trains. New Orleans had the same issue with a bypass getting used as a parking spot.
I'm sure it's true. It's critically important for the state to own the lines. Otherwise host railroads pull all kinds of skeezy BS like this, thanks to criminal management.
 
Found this information page on the CSX website describing the track projects being done for the $132 million project: Virginia Capacity Projects. Doesn't provide any additional useful info on the Acca Yard Bypass project, but lists where the crossovers are going in and reveals that the Reams to Carson double tracking is to be completed in 2017. Excerpt:

Crossovers - Several new rail crossovers will be built on the tracks south of Richmond, allowing trains to switch between the two main tracks to safely pass other trains. These new crossovers will be located near Richmond's Westover Hills neighborhood, near the Walmsley Boulevard crossing, and near Amtrak's Petersburg Station. Trees will be removed near the construction sites, and trucks will deliver materials such as ballast rock, crossties, rail, and other mechanical components. Heavy equipment will level the ground in preparation for the new track infrastructure, which will be built on site. Finally, cranes will be used to install the new track crossovers and crews will install signals that direct trains on how to proceed through the crossover. All of the crossover work is expected to be completed in 2018.

New Double Track - Crews will construct approximately eight miles of a second track along the main line from Reams to Carson, along with two more crossovers. The project also involves tree removal, heavy grading and on-site construction of the new track. In the final phase of this project, crews will install signals to direct trains on how to proceed. This project is scheduled to be completed in 2017.
 
Keep an eye on the Amtrak website for major service changes from late May through early June to facilitate this project.
 
The state also negotiated with CSX for two additional round-trip passenger trains to operate between Norfolk and Richmond and one additional train between Lynchburg and Washington.
So this means Norfolk is potentially getting two more regionals every day?

*does backflip*

My only worry is that, like the 2nd Newport News Regional, the extra Norfolk regionals won't connect with the Keystone or anything else in Philly.
 
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