From: kclark@cevax.simpact.com (Ken J. Clark)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: CP VIRGINIA (Was: Re: New Use for Pot Yard)
Date: 28 Jul 92 17:23:14 GMT
Organization: Simpact Associates, Reston VA

In <JR.92Jul23162319@bluecher.ksr.com>, jr@ksr.com (John Robinson) writes:

[Discussion on Union Station tunnels deleted]

>>I'm about 99% positive that Dave is correct.  The freight bypass diverged 
>>from the passenger line quite near the mouth of the Tunnel, at Virginia 
>>Tower.  If I had a map of DC here, I could include street names, but I think
>>it's near Virginia Avenue, and not far from L'Enfant Plaza.

> I can confirm this.  The tracks turn quite sharply out of the tunnel
> and meet the freight bypass as soon as they are headed the right
> direction.  It is near L'Enfant Plaza I think - only a couple of
> blocks south of the mall, and definitely east (north) of the Jefferson
> Memorial by several blocks.  I wandered around this area on my last
> trip to DC maybe 3 years back.

Yes.  The Washington Union Station leads *do* join the freight line near 
L'Enfant Plaza on Conrail trackage at CP VIRGINIA.  CP VIRGINIA is the 
remotely controlled point (CP) once controlled by Virginia Tower.  The 
tower still stands on the north side of the tracks.

The new commuter line, the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), operates through 
the control point (Amtrak has for years as well).  In addition the new VRE 
station at L'Enfant Plaza in within site of CP VIRGINIA.  Riding a VRE 
train as well as staying on the platform at L'Enfant Plaza provide two safe 
(and legal) ways of observing CP VIRGINIA.

Of interest to signal fans, the home signals protecting CP VIRGINIA are 
still in the "classic" PRR style.  Conrail has not modified the PRR 
position light signals to display two horizontal red lights for the 
absolute stop indication, as they have on most other parts of the Conrail 
system.  The signals at CP VIRGINIA still display three horizontal 
yellow lights.

Also, the trackage in the 1905 tunnels is part of the Washington Terminal 
Company which use color position signals from its B&O heritage.  Two mast 
signals stand just outside of the tunnels, one protecting each track.

Note on the track plan how the freight line has been re-aligned through the 
control point.  It no longer is two tracks straight through.

          N
         W+E                                      TUNNEL to W.U.S.
          S                                            /   /
                                                     /   /
     L'Enfant Plaza                                /   /
      VRE Station                      TOWER     /   /
-------------------------------\-----------/---/   /   /----------------
                                 \       /       /   /
-----------------------------------\---/-------/---/--------------------
<-- To Long Bridge and                               Freight Line to -->
    "RO" on CSX (nee RF&P)                           Anacostia Bridge

Ken J. Clark                    KCLARK@cevax.simpact.com
System Integration & Applications Group
Simpact Associates, Inc.        {uunet..}!simpact!cevax.simpact.com!kclark
Reston, VA                      703-758-0190  ex. 2134
Newsgroups: rec.railroad