Exiting Washington Union Station Southwards

[zoltan]

I have used Washington Union station quite a few times, but only ever to alight trains from the north or west or board trains to the north or west.

And so, although I know trains travel south from there, I have no idea how they do it, given the fact that the extent of what I've seen of Union station is terminating bays facing north. I have heard vague words about lower level platforms, and signage alluding to this for VRE trains, but I don't know where the platforms used by trains traveling south are, and how they exit the station.

I also recall being told that the Silver Star uses the upper level same platforms as the Acelas and terminating Northeast Regionals, which would further confuse things, though this may be rubbish, as I've never seen it with my own eyes. (yes, as far as interesting Amtrak workings go, I haven't lived. My most recent long distance experience was on a train formed of, guess what? More amfleets! woot.)

So, wonderful people of the forum, where do trains to Virginia and beyond stop in Union Station, in by what route do they exit the station?

 

[MrFSS]

Here is the Goggle Map view of where the track comes out from the south side of the station.

Near New Jersey and D streets.

 

[AlanB]

The lower level platforms, are to the east of the upper level platforms where Acela, many of the Regionals, and MARC arrive. Those lower level platforms don't have pocket tracks. On the northern side they just merge into the tracks from the upper level. On the southern side they merge into a tunnel that runs under the station and much of DC, emerging on the southern side of DC as seen in the picture above.

And the Silver Star does not use an upper level platform. Any train that uses an upper level platform cannot go south, unless they back up through all the switches, then reverse direction and head for a lower level platform. And of course, there is no logical reason to do that when you can just pull into the lower level in the first place.

 

[George Harris]

Looking at the picture above:

Just southwest of the intersection of New Jersey Avenue and D Street is the south portal of the tunnels that lead to Union Station. There are two single track tunnels. The curve continues underground to the alignment of First Street East and runs under First Street all the way to the Plaza in front of Union Station. The track fan for the lower level tracks are under the Plaza.

The tunnels are tight. A superliner can fit into them - just barely. It took some lowering of the track for that to happen. There are ventilation fans that blow air south, that is out these portals so that the smoke does not come out of the Union Station end. Remember, trains operated through these tunnels with coal burning steam engines for many years. These tracks are passenger train only. They hve never been electrified. It is doubtful that the overhead could fit in the tunnels without major structural work to increase the above rail to crown distance. I beleive these passenger tracks and tunnels to be owned by the Washington Terminal Company, now Amtrak.

Just at the bottom left hand corner of the picture you can see the freight tracks. The passenger tracks and freight tracks come together just off the left side of the picture at a point called Virginia Tower. This line was originally Pennsylvania Railroad to the south end of the bridge over the Patomac River. The freight tracks were electrified in the past all the way into Patomac Yard in Arlington County, VA. The wires were taken down after Conrail came into being and decided that electric freight operation made no sense economically. The freight line and passenger line come back together northeast of DC in about Landover MD.

Pre-Amtrak passsenger trains on these passenger tracks were operated by Southern Railway, Chesapeake and Ohio, and Richmond Frederickburg and Patomac. None of these companies owned tracks into DC. RF&P (now CSX) ownership ended at the south end of the bridge over the Patomac River. Southern Railway (now NS) ownership ended in Alexandria, Virginia. This line was the Alexandria and Orange pre-War Between the States. C&O (now also in CSX) trains did not get to their own rails until after they passed Orange, VA.

The low leve tracks are the high number tracks in WUS. Track 1 through either 6 or 7, I do not remember which, are no more because that end of the station was taken by WMATA in the early 1970's.

 

[Ryan]

The freight line and passenger line come back together northeast of DC in about Landover MD.

Cheverly, MD (you can see them merge right where the Cheverly Metro Station is located)

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&clie...053301&z=15

 

[zoltan]

They hve never been electrified. It is doubtful that the overhead could fit in the tunnels without major structural work to increase the above rail to crown distance.

Which would render that Maryland MTA's plan to have Penn Line trains from Perryville, MD and Baltimore Penn Station running into L'enfant Plaza by 2020 entirely unrealistic for more than one reason.

 

[Rafi]

They hve never been electrified. It is doubtful that the overhead could fit in the tunnels without major structural work to increase the above rail to crown distance.

Which would render that Maryland MTA's plan to have Penn Line trains from Perryville, MD and Baltimore Penn Station running into L'enfant Plaza by 2020 entirely unrealistic for more than one reason.

Hardly! Penn line trains use both diesel and electric engines. It would be the diesel sets that would run to L'enfant.

-Rafi

 

[George Harris]

The freight line and passenger line come back together northeast of DC in about Landover MD.

Cheverly, MD (you can see them merge right where the Cheverly Metro Station is located)

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&clie...053301&z=15

Look closer. At the point your map shows the Metro line is between the freight line and the passenger line. come in a little closer and start working northeast. After about a mile, you will see the WMATA line cross over the freight line and the freight and passenger line come closer together. The turnouts connecting the two are just south of Landover Road overpass. It has been over 30 years, but I have walked all this before and during the time of the WMATA construction.

 

[Rafi]

George is correct. I take the MARC Penn line every day and know this area well. The turnouts connecting the two lines are just south of Landover and north of Cheverly.

 

[Ryan]

The freight line and passenger line come back together northeast of DC in about Landover MD.

Cheverly, MD (you can see them merge right where the Cheverly Metro Station is located)

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&clie...053301&z=15

Look closer. At the point your map shows the Metro line is between the freight line and the passenger line. come in a little closer and start working northeast. After about a mile, you will see the WMATA line cross over the freight line and the freight and passenger line come closer together. The turnouts connecting the two are just south of Landover Road overpass. It has been over 30 years, but I have walked all this before and during the time of the WMATA construction.

Like Rafi, I commute past there twice daily on the Penn line, so I'm intimately familiar with the area.

Yes, you can't cross over until near Landover Road, but the tracks essentially a 7 track ROW at Cheverly station (2 Amtrak, 2 WMATA, 3 Freight).

It all depends on the definition of "come together". In any event, the USPS still considers both points part of Cheverely (20785).

 

[George Harris]

Here is what the Pennslyvania Railroad called it years before zip codes were even dreamed up.

Landover. milepost 128.8.

Passenger Route:

95.0 Baltimore

skipping a few:

120.7 Bowie

123.1 Glenndale

124.7 Seabrook

126.1 Lanham

128.8 Landover

130.3 Cheverly

134.8 Region Post (W.T.)

135.4 New York Avenue

137.7 Washington

The Freight Route (begins at Landover):

128.8 Landover

132.5 Deanwood

133.5 Benning

134.1 Anacostia

136.7 Virginia -- this is where the south exit from Union Station connected back in

137.1 7th Street

137.7 14th Street

138.5 patomac River Movable Bridge -- the bridge is now fixed

138.7 Region Post (RF&P)

138.9 South End (RF&P)--R-AF

The passenger route south of Union Station is not in the ETT since it is not Pennsy track.

 

[Walt]

Thanks for a very informative thread!

I have taken the Silvers southbound thru Washington numerous times over many years. So, I know first hand that they arrive on the lower level, and they certainly do appear to continue south from there (though, since I am not "driving", I could never be sure).

However, I have always wondered why my GPS maps show all the tracks ending at Washington, with none continuing south from there.

I now know the reason why!