Update on new CSX RF&P Track 1 construction on Franconia Hill (Sunday, April 18, 2010)

At last, installation of the new Track 1 has been completed in the Franconia Hill area of the CSX RF&P Subdivision (CFP 99). A visit on April 18 revealed a tidy roadbed and perfectly-aligned rails either side of the Franconia Road overpass. As mentioned earlier, CSX erected a new signal bridge immediately south of Franconia Road, faced for the benefit of northbound trains. The old bridge on the north side is now configured so signals are only seen by southbounds. There are no crossovers between the two bridges.

Also completed was the new and improved set-off track that's been near the old signal bridge for many years, visible from its south end in the photo below:

Facing south, the newly-completed track is plainly visible as Q410 approaches:

As Q410 rolls downhill, P195 shoots upgrade like there's nothing to it:

I don't know what it is, but since first seeing it, I haven't slept well at all:

Here's P091 ripping along by the rebuilt set-off track. Note the strange track apparatus, apparently a derail. I recently saw one like this at Georgetown Junction on the B&O in Silver Spring, Md. and assumed it was old-fashioned. Now here's one that's brand new:

I then moved to the south side of Franconia Road, where the northbound signal bridge is located. Track 1 is completed here, too, and ready for use. The choo-choo is Q703:

As well as I've been able to tell, Track 1 has been completed from its south end (CFP 98) to the west side of Cameron Run signal bridge (CFP 102). Between Cameron Run and the current end of active Track 1 at AF (CFP 104), a work crew has begun to lay ballast. Of course, the new track can't be activated until the new bridge has been put in place at Cameron Run, so the two projects must be coordinated:

In this last picture, which faces RR north at the Seminary signals, a pile of crushed rock (Is this ballast? Seemed too small) awaits the crew that operates the heavy equipment on the set-off track (left background). Off to the right can be seen the partial results of the crew's efforts to prepare the bed for the Track 1 northward extension. At present, Track 1 ends at the AF signal bridge (deep background):