After the incident at Baltimore, some CSX trains had to go thru circutous routes to reach their destination. That’s the case with the famous juice train, then went via Cumberland sub up untill Cherry Run where power was ‘turner around’, then via CSX’s own Lurgan sub, and thru NS’s Lurgan branch to Harrisburg, and then via NS’s main line thru Reading, and Conrail’s (Sharet Asset Area) Lehigh line, up untill ‘home’ rails in Metropolitan NY/NJ. Here it is on film
Which leads to the 2nd question - the Intermodal cars on the ‘head end’ of the train are for Philadelphia. Normally they are on the rear of the train upon arrival at Philly and are just cut off for further handling to the trailer facility at Philly. Any idea of how they were handled with the rerouting of the train?
They were on the train into Harrisburg, but not heading into Reading. Best guess is they were set out in Harrisburg and handled as haulage into Phila on NS or CP
A setout at Harrisburg seems to be a logical move. Anyway why didn’t CSX used the NEC to detour this train? Being a 60 Mph capable train (top track speed between Alexandria and Philadelphia on CSX’s own line is lower : 50 Mph) and going thru the line in the middle of the night wouldn’t cause any big hurdles. Besides it doesn’t seems to have clearance limitations, and from Alexandria’s Potomac yard to the connecting track just South of Newark (wich leads to CSAs NJ lines) seems to be a logical detour, at least far much less circuitous. Or maybe the trackage rights in effect do not consider these situations
Amtrak is VERY protective of the NEC. Previous attempts to use the NEC have been routinely rebuffed.
NS has rights on the NEC all the way from DC to NJ. CSX does not. Although the cost makes this difference a moot point.