Tracks between highway lanes

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CHamilton

CHamilton

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I'm on Cascades 506, traveling on the stretch of track just south of Kelso, Washington, where the train is in between the northbound and southbound lanes of I-5. I assume that this happens because the highway was widened at some point, after the tracks were already there.

I know I've seen similar configurations elsewhere, but can't remember where. Chicago, maybe? Any other ideas?
 
The Mo-Pac Expressway in Austin, TX comes to mind immediately.

ar128984495239886.jpg


I remember riding in the train on a freeway median between San Bernandino and Los Angeles too. Forgot what was the exact location.

Edit: Remembered the location I mentioned is San Bernardino Freeway (Interstate 10) near Los Angeles-

118498594_wYxfj-L.jpg
 
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There are a number of CTA lines in expressway medians in Chicago, but I cannot think of any mainline ("regular") rail lines like that in the Chicago area.
 
WMATA in Washington DC has quite a bit of such. The Orange Line in Virginia comes to mind. The new Silver Line will be along the median of Dulles Expressway for quite a distance too.

In San Jose VTA runs along the median of an Expressway in its south end. Also as I recall Metrolink in LA has several such stretches.
 
The Silver Service, Palmetto and Carolinian run in the median of the Powhite Parkway in Richmond, and the Pacific Surfliner runs in the median of I-5 in Camp Pendleton north of Oceanside.
 
The train from ABQ to Santa Fe in NM runs along with the highway. I forget the name of the service. Rail runner, maybe?

The MBTA commuter rail runs along the side of the Mass Pike, too, for a while.
 
There are multiple sections of the BART system that runs in the center of freeways. The longest section is between Interstate-580 from Castro Valley to Pleasanton on the Dublin/Pleasanton line. It also runs the center of Highway 4 on the Pittsburgh/Bay Point line, and Highway 24 in Oakland for the combined Pittsburgh/Bay Point and Richmond Lines.
 
amamba said:
The train from ABQ to Santa Fe in NM runs along with the highway. I forget the name of the service. Rail runner, maybe?

The MBTA commuter rail runs along the side of the Mass Pike, too, for a while.
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Rail Runner is the name of that commuter rail service.

The MBTA commuter rail streach along the Mass Pike is also used by the Lake Shore Limited as it leaves Boston.

Other rail based transit lines in highway medians unmentioned (how we can tell who is east coast-expressways/highways, or west coast freeways) include the LA Metro Green Line, Sacramento's light rail briefly and Denver's Light Rail (E,F, and H routes). Airtrain JFK was proposed fifty-years earlier to be in the median of the Van Wyck instead it was built on an ariel guideway above it fifty-years later.
 
CHamilton said:
I'm on Cascades 506, traveling on the stretch of track just south of Kelso, Washington, where the train is in between the northbound and southbound lanes of I-5. I assume that this happens because the highway was widened at some point, after the tracks were already there.

I know I've seen similar configurations elsewhere, but can't remember where. Chicago, maybe? Any other ideas?
Click to expand...
The section you are thinking of runs between Kalama and Woodland. When I do Trails & Rails I always do my plug for AMTRAK there telling the passengers

"Look out the window.. Either side... Thats Interstate 5.. You see that red car there... well... He may be in for a surprise in a mile or so.. you see, we're going 79 MPH right now aboard the Coast Starlight and he's keeping right up with us.. unfortunately for him the speed limit out there is 65... and I'm sure that somewhere closeby are those fellows in the white cars with the flashing blue lights on top (The State Patrol). You know when you take AMTRAK between Seattle and Portland you dont have to worry about those fellows... or stopping for a bathroom break, or getting a fast food burger. You can relax.. LEGALLY go 79 MPH enjoy a great lunch and even a cocktail... and never have to worry about those blue lights.. and still get to your destination in about the same time... SO.. next time you think about

the PDX/Seattle slog.. Think AMTRAK.. Four Cascades and the Coast Starlight every day!"

David

Seattle
 
Ryan said:
We happened upon a Cascades train just after leaving PDX while on our honeymoon.

I knew that I had married the right woman when she got the camera and started shooting while I worked through the traffic to catch up to the train after it blew past us:
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Excellent picture! I was trying to figure out how to take a pic from the train, but you got a nice view from the freeway. And a romantic story, too :)
 
EMDF9A said:
CHamilton said:
I'm on Cascades 506, traveling on the stretch of track just south of Kelso, Washington, where the train is in between the northbound and southbound lanes of I-5. I assume that this happens because the highway was widened at some point, after the tracks were already there.

I know I've seen similar configurations elsewhere, but can't remember where. Chicago, maybe? Any other ideas?
Click to expand...
The section you are thinking of runs between Kalama and Woodland. When I do Trails & Rails I always do my plug for AMTRAK there telling the passengers

"Look out the window.. Either side... Thats Interstate 5.. You see that red car there... well... He may be in for a surprise in a mile or so.. you see, we're going 79 MPH right now aboard the Coast Starlight and he's keeping right up with us.. unfortunately for him the speed limit out there is 65... and I'm sure that somewhere closeby are those fellows in the white cars with the flashing blue lights on top (The State Patrol). You know when you take AMTRAK between Seattle and Portland you dont have to worry about those fellows... or stopping for a bathroom break, or getting a fast food burger. You can relax.. LEGALLY go 79 MPH enjoy a great lunch and even a cocktail... and never have to worry about those blue lights.. and still get to your destination in about the same time... SO.. next time you think about

the PDX/Seattle slog.. Think AMTRAK.. Four Cascades and the Coast Starlight every day!"

David

Seattle
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Speed limit is 70 there around Kalama, not 65. It is 70 from just north of the 5/205 interchange to Olympia.

Not many 65 mph speed limits in Washington state (can't think of any offhand, but that doesn't mean there aren't some). Interstate speed limits in Washington are generally 60 urban, 70 rural, with some exceptions (like 55 through downtown Seattle on 5).
 
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PRR 60 said:
...the Pacific Surfliner runs in the median of I-5 in Camp Pendleton north of Oceanside.
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The section that runs between traffic is less than 2 miles long right after passing Oceanside. It's a great view of the hills and ocean after that though... and the Surfliner runs fast out there. (not sure exactly how fast, but it passes traffic... and traffic runs REALLY fast out there)
 
There is a stretch in Tulsa, OK along the Broken Arrow Exprwy (US 64). But Amtrak doesn't run thru Tulsa.

peter
 
jis said:
trainman74 said:
leemell said:
The LA Metro Gold Line between Pasadena and somewhere east of Sierra Madre.
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This is the former Santa Fe mainline -- used to be the route of the Super Chief/Southwest Limited/Southwest Chief.
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Yup! I have ridden down that line on the Southwest Limited!
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In the early 80's they tore the tracks out of this stretch (really t thinking ahead) only to put them back in the the late 90's for the Gold line. When passenger rail used this section, it was the inspiration on the Jack Benny Shoiw for the line I'm not remembering all that well, but ended with Rodchester calling Cuuuuuucamooooonga. Later this town was renamed Rancho Cucamonga, I think in no small part to change the comic reference. :lol:
 
leemell said:
jis said:
trainman74 said:
leemell said:
The LA Metro Gold Line between Pasadena and somewhere east of Sierra Madre.
Click to expand...
This is the former Santa Fe mainline -- used to be the route of the Super Chief/Southwest Limited/Southwest Chief.
Click to expand...
Yup! I have ridden down that line on the Southwest Limited!
Click to expand...
In the early 80's they tore the tracks out of this stretch (really t thinking ahead) only to put them back in the the late 90's for the Gold line.
Click to expand...
Also they removed the railroad bridge over westbound I-210 freeway (from median to the north side) if I remember correctly. It happened when I was little.
 
If we are including urban light rail and heavy rail transit, then we could add the Red Line in Portland which runs briefly in the median of I-205 near

the Portland airport. And in Philly, the Blue Line runs briefly in the median of I-95 in the vicinity of the Spring Garden station.

But neither of these is as striking as the Cascades/Coast Starlight running down the middle of I-5.
 
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