There would still be one major obstical - Boone Tunnel between Twin Oaks, PA and Philadelphia. I am not sure what it will actually clear, the 19’2" multi-level autoracks that are cleared to Twin Oaks are not cleared on the track segment that contains Boone Tunnel. I am thinking it will clear something on the order of 17’3" - a regulare Trailer on Flat Car shipment at the present time. Note - you may see some ‘double stack’ trash containers on various trains operating on CSX’s I-95 corridor - they do not have the same height as normal shipping containers - ocean going or domestic.
The Port of Baltimore has dredged it’s harbor and purchased new container cranes for the port to be able to handle the so called ‘post-panamax’ container vessels that will be transiting the revised Panama Canal. Without double stack rail carriage of containers into and out of the port - those improvements may become wasted capital investment.
Note, notching of arched tunnels is not uncommon, all one needs to do is look at all the arched tunnels that the SP/UP notched between Oakland, CA and Reno/Sparks, NV to accomodate full double stack container trains…no problems what so ever(other than nicks and scrapes on the containers that don’t quite make it in to the notches on first try).
Electric ‘helper’ has just pulled a steam powered train Eastbound (North) through the Howard Street Tunnel whose East Portal can be made out behind the train.
Notching of tunnels can be straight forward. But this tunnel goes way back. It "MAY " only be one layer of stone or whatever? Then what is behind it ? Compacted dirt, loose dirt, stone rubble. Would really like to read a detailed engineering report.
