Capitol Limited Service Disruption (5/17)

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chakk

Engineer
Joined
May 26, 2011
Messages
2,562
CSX tracks washed out near Point of Rocks, MD by torrential rains earlier this week. No MARC commuter train service west of Point of Rocks before Monday.
 
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The MTA published some pics. Not good.

washout2.jpg


washout1.jpg


https://mta.maryland.gov/content/limited-brunswick-line-service-thursday-may-17
 
As a wild guess, I'd say the fishplate seen in the first image has suffered from severe electrolytic corrosion.
 
Yikes! Any idea on how long it will take to resume service?

ETA: I see CSX is hoping by Monday. Hope so! Im on the Cap next Saturday.
 
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My son and daughter-in-law live about 20 miles north of this scene. He sent me photos of creek beds near their neighborhood showing debris snagged in trees 10 feet above ground.

And one commuter train was stopped during the height of the storm just east of the washout for 5 hours in the evening with standing water up to the entryways of the double-decker coaches. Passengers were all moved up to the second level for safety. Apparently, the train was able to slowly move west to Brunswick before the roadbed washed away.
 
And MARC has now announced, with more heavy rains forecast for that area, to move all of their equipment out of the Brunswick Yard, which is prone to flooding, in order to prevent possible submersion of traction motors and other parts.

I am guessing that will mean moving all equipment to storage in Washington DC passenger yards, with possible extended disruption of their Brunswick Line commute services next week.

Perhaps MARC will need to change their name to “Maryland Ark”?
 
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So how will MARC move their equipment from Brunswick to Washington DC with the tracks hanging in the air at Point of Rocks?

I suspect they will find some high ground somewhere between Point of Rocks and Martinsburg and move them there from their Brunswick Yard. Maybe even use the main line as a Linear Yard. CSX is quite familiar with that concept.
 
There are 3 tracks at the photo location. The closest to the camera is not visible, but is not (heavily) washed out, so trains are being walked through the area on that track under a 10 mph slow order.
 
So how will MARC move their equipment from Brunswick to Washington DC with the tracks hanging in the air at Point of Rocks?
According to the FRA Safety map, one possibility is to go 8 miles West of Harpers Ferry to Shenandoah Junction, turn South go 36 miles to Rivco, turn East and then 51 miles later arrive at Manassas. Maybe.

[Looks like Chakk posted the best way at the same time I posted the long way back]
 
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Yeah the best method would be to take the ex N&W and Southern routes now that I think about it. Or the ex Western Maryland route if CSX would allow it.
 
With the latest CSX derailment in Alexandria, if they manage to get to Manassas they’ll be stranded there for a bit. They could go west to Pittsburgh and maybe run them east to Altoona and south to Perryville to NEC and Washington Union.
 
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