# Trains in the middle of freeways



## DET63 (Nov 26, 2009)

For a couple of miles between Kalama and Woodland, WA (neither of which are station stops for Amtrak), Amtrak (and UP and BNSF freight) trains run in the I-5 median. This means you can look out the right window and watch cars traveling along the freeway a few feet away from the train. (This is easier to do going n/b, since I believe the track is closer to the freeway lanes on that side.) I believe the _Pioneer_ used to run for a short distance in the I-84 median in the Columbia Gorge.

Are there other places on the Amtrak system (as opposed to subways or other rapid-transit or commuter-rail systems) where the train travels or used to travel on the median of a freeway?


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## Spokker (Nov 26, 2009)

I know that some Amtrak trains used to use the Gold Line ROW in Pasadena, CA, but did they also use the 210 freeway median? http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...667&nseq=18

In Southern California, Metrolink trains travel in the median of Interstate 10 for a short stretch. It's not Amtrak but it's something. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...1822&nseq=3


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## mj_2367 (Nov 26, 2009)

Spokker said:


> I know that some Amtrak trains used to use the Gold Line ROW in Pasadena, CA, but did they also use the 210 freeway median? http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...667&nseq=18
> In Southern California, Metrolink trains travel in the median of Interstate 10 for a short stretch. It's not Amtrak but it's something. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...1822&nseq=3



The 210 median is currently used by MTA Gold Line light rail trains.

The 10 freeway median is used by Metrolink's San Bernardino Line, however, sometimes the Sunset Limited uses that route also.

Othewise, the Sunset Limited has the choice of using UP's Alhambra Sub from Los Angeles t El Monte, or this "former State Street" line

down the median of the 10 freeway. On a side note, the speed limit down the 10 freeway is a full 79, nice to blast by the cars that may be moving

15-20 mph during rush hours!


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## The Metropolitan (Nov 26, 2009)

I *think* there is a brief portion of Highway median type running on the Atlantic Coast services south of Richmond, VA. I seem to recall something of this nature lasting all of 2-3 minutes before diverging.


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## saxman (Nov 26, 2009)

In Austin the Texas Eagle runs in the median of the MoPac freeway just north of the station for a few miles. Of course we know MoPac was named after the Missouri Pacific Railroad. I wonder how many drivers know that?


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## Bob Dylan (Nov 26, 2009)

saxman said:


> In Austin the Texas Eagle runs in the median of the MoPac freeway just north of the station for a few miles. Of course we know MoPac was named after the Missouri Pacific Railroad. I wonder how many drivers know that?


There are so many new people here in Austin that perhaps you and I are the only ones who know this Chris! :lol: As the previous poster said it's neat to highball past the log jam traffic and see the look on the facesa of the drivers that don't realize a railroad runs down the middle of their freeway!

I think they probably believe that MOPAChas something to do with the Pacific Ocean where most of them came from! :lol:

Hope youre having a great Thanksgiving, Im sure youve seen all the posts on the Eagles, Im glad so many care about "our" train!


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## daveyb99 (Nov 26, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> saxman said:
> 
> 
> > In Austin the Texas Eagle runs in the median of the MoPac freeway just north of the station for a few miles. Of course we know MoPac was named after the Missouri Pacific Railroad. I wonder how many drivers know that?
> ...


Here is some trivia for ya: When the City of Austin started planning the a north-south road on the east side of Austin, it was to be considered a sister road to the MoPac. Somehow, it was aligned with the old Missouri-Kansas right of way, hence the name ---- MoKan.

Yep, Austin would the have the MoPac and the MoKan. (The east highway was never built as proposed, instead, an unnamed toll-road now exists there.)


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## rrdude (Nov 26, 2009)

My FAV is the MoPac too. I used to commute via that route often when I lived in Austin. Wish they'd still run trains thru downtown though....... kinda like the new commuter rail is almost gonna do from the East...


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## daveyb99 (Nov 26, 2009)

Not totally in the median, but the Fort Worth station sits at the interchange of I-35W and I-30. As #21 and #22 pass through Tower 55, they pass above and below the highways.

TOWER 55, Fort Worth, TX

Not AMTRAK, but the Washington METRO Orange Line runs in the median of I-66 from a little west of Rosslyn out to Vienna/Fairfax. Some stations are in the median as well.

Wash METRO Orange Line is the underground exit westbound, pan left for more.

Not AMTRAK, but the Chicago CTA line to O'Hare airport runs median of I-90 for a ways.

Chicago CTA O'Hare


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## daveyb99 (Nov 26, 2009)

Here is the Austin pictures:

Map of area - Station to MoPac

Median access - South end of MoPac (looking south)

Median access - North end of MoPac (looking north)


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## Rafi (Nov 26, 2009)

The Metropolitan said:


> I *think* there is a brief portion of Highway median type running on the Atlantic Coast services south of Richmond, VA. I seem to recall something of this nature lasting all of 2-3 minutes before diverging.


Correct! All southerly Amtrak trains out of Richmond not going to NPN run in the median of I-195 (the feeder to the Powhite Parkway) for about 2 miles (see map below) before diverging to run parallel to route 76/195 as it crosses the James River on a pretty dramatic trestle.





Here's a shot of the run on my last trip on the Silver Star this past October:





And just to add a couple of subway mentions:

The DC Metro's Orange line runs in the median of I-66 between Ballston and Vienna

The Baltimore Metro runs in the median of I-795 between Old Court and Owings Mills.

-Rafi


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## the_traveler (Nov 26, 2009)

One of the LA median runnings (I forget which freeway) was used years ago (in the 1990's :lol: ) by the SWC. The Desert Wind ran from San Bernadino to Fullerton to LAX. The SWC ran from San Bernadino to Pasadena to LAX.

IIRC, the Surfliners do some median running somewhere between LAX and SAN.


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## wayman (Nov 26, 2009)

Our Louisiana friends must be taking a holiday (imagine that, today!), for no one has mentioned the Huey P. Long bridge! For the railroad, this bridge is miles long, with an extremely long lead-up to the river on each side. But as the river draws near, the highway rises to meet the railroad and splits to surround the train on the central portion of the bridge. Here are some photos that show this well, though you _might_ notice that none of them show _Amtrak_ trains. Sadly Google Image Search turned up nuthin' for that, because the photographers all showed up at the bridge on days the Sunset Limited wasn't running


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## PRR 60 (Nov 26, 2009)

The Pacific Surfliner route is in the median of I-5 (San Diego Freeway) for a little over one mile in Camp Pendleton just north of Oceanside.


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## DET63 (Nov 26, 2009)

With the new bridge for n/b traffic on I-680 between Martinez and Benicia, CA, trains crossing the railroad bridge are effectively in the median. Of course, this isn't obvious to either train passengers or to motorists, since the railroad bridge is much lower than the freeway spans.

Although they're not Amtrak tracks, there are several miles of BART running in the median of CA 24 and I-580.


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## leemell (Nov 26, 2009)

Spokker said:


> I know that some Amtrak trains used to use the Gold Line ROW in Pasadena, CA, but did they also use the 210 freeway median? http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...667&nseq=18
> In Southern California, Metrolink trains travel in the median of Interstate 10 for a short stretch. It's not Amtrak but it's something. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...1822&nseq=3


The Sunset Limited used to stop at the Pasadena Station before the 210 was built. The route was changed sometime before the 70's, but freights continued to use it until the late 70's. The tracks were torn out in the late 80's and then about ten years later reinstalled to Rosemead Blvd near San Gabriel for the Gold Line.


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## the_traveler (Nov 26, 2009)

leemell said:


> ... Pasadena Station ... The tracks were torn out in the late 80's.


:huh:

I took the SWC from NDL to LAX in the mid 90's, and rode on that track. I didn't move to that area until 1994! I'm not sure if it stopped in Pasadena, but I remember at least passing the station!

So if the tracks were torn out in the late 80's, what did the SWC run on? :huh:


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## leemell (Nov 26, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> leemell said:
> 
> 
> > ... Pasadena Station ... The tracks were torn out in the late 80's.
> ...


Maybe it was in the early 90's, but they definitely ripped them out, I used to drive it every day and lamented that they were doing it.

I just found it, 1993.


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## battalion51 (Nov 26, 2009)

There aren't any other places I can think of off the top of my head that haven't already been mentioned as far as medians go. But I can think of a few places where interstates and tracks parallel each other and make for good pacing. I-95 and the South Florida Rail Corridor in several spots, I-495 and the Northeast Corridor in Delaware, I-89 and the NECR between Waterbury and Essex Jct...


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## DET63 (Nov 27, 2009)

The south end of the freeway-median running referred to in the OP is at an interchange with Dike Access Road, meaning there are several layers of roads and railroad at what would otherwise be a fairly simple diamond interchange.


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## the_traveler (Nov 27, 2009)

leemell said:


> the_traveler said:
> 
> 
> > leemell said:
> ...


I still don't believe that date! I got hired for my job in AZ in October 1994, but I was in training until January 1995. So I couldn't have taken the SWC from NDL to LAX until at least 1995 or 1996. And I do distinctly remember going down the median of the freeway and passing the Pasedana station!

I got a ride to NDL (for a 2 AM train) by a co-worker! Now that's a friend! :lol:


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## gswager (Nov 27, 2009)

SWC runs on the same line as Metrolink 91 Line Orange , along CA 91 corridor.


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## the_traveler (Nov 27, 2009)

Agreed - now it does! But in the 1990's, the SWC went via Pasadena on the IIRC I-10 route and the Desert Wind went via Fullerton on the 91 route. (I took both routes - sometimes on the same day!  )


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## gswager (Nov 28, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> Agreed - now it does! But in the 1990's, the SWC went via Pasadena on the IIRC I-10 route and the Desert Wind went via Fullerton on the 91 route. (I took both routes - sometimes on the same day!  )


It's time for you to pull out a map out of your bookcase. It wasn't I-10, it was I-210. I do remember that the bridge over I-210 was removed years ago.


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## ALC Rail Writer (Nov 28, 2009)

The Crescent runs through the Meridian in MS.


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## Guest_Birdy_* (Nov 28, 2009)

New Mexico Railrunner runs a few miles down the median of I-25. After an armored car blew a tire and flipped completely over the median, a few people wondered if this "railroad in the median" business was really a good idea.


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## George Harris (Nov 30, 2009)

The Huey P. Long bridge is being reconstructed to add one additional highway lane on each side. To do this the piers are being widened and an additional truss line added on each side of the current truss. When finished you will have

Truss line - three highway lanes - truss line - two railroad tracks - truss line - three highway lanes - truss line

http://www.timedla.com/bridge/long/overview/


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## frequentflyer (Dec 1, 2009)

George Harris said:


> The Huey P. Long bridge is being reconstructed to add one additional highway lane on each side. To do this the piers are being widened and an additional truss line added on each side of the current truss. When finished you will have Truss line - three highway lanes - truss line - two railroad tracks - truss line - three highway lanes - truss line
> 
> http://www.timedla.com/bridge/long/overview/


Thanks for the info,long,long,loooooooooooooooong overdue. Its a statement to how well the bridge is built it can take the extra stress and weight.


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## AudenHoggart (Dec 1, 2009)

battalion51 said:


> There aren't any other places I can think of off the top of my head that haven't already been mentioned as far as medians go. But I can think of a few places where interstates and tracks parallel each other and make for good pacing. I-95 and the South Florida Rail Corridor in several spots, I-495 and the Northeast Corridor in Delaware, I-89 and the NECR between Waterbury and Essex Jct...


This is also true at several places for the CHI-STL line and I-55.


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## stntylr (Dec 1, 2009)

saxman said:


> In Austin the Texas Eagle runs in the median of the MoPac freeway just north of the station for a few miles. Of course we know MoPac was named after the Missouri Pacific Railroad. I wonder how many drivers know that?


Here's a youtube video of the TE on MOPAC.


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## leemell (Dec 1, 2009)

PRR 60 said:


> The Pacific Surfliner route is in the median of I-5 (San Diego Freeway) for a little over one mile in Camp Pendleton just north of Oceanside.


I didn't think it did so I checked on Google Earth. The tracks run mostly on the ocean side of the I5 crossing under the freeway at two points, but never in the median.


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## Rumpled (Dec 1, 2009)

leemell said:


> PRR 60 said:
> 
> 
> > The Pacific Surfliner route is in the median of I-5 (San Diego Freeway) for a little over one mile in Camp Pendleton just north of Oceanside.
> ...


Google maps show the RR between the NB and SB I-5 here

Google Maps Oceanside Area

Not a typical "median"; but between them just the same.


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## Big Iron (Dec 1, 2009)

Here's a shot just South of RVR Staples Mill station. CSX, former Seaboard line.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?...3220&nseq=2


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## GG-1 (Dec 2, 2009)

Rumpled said:


> leemell said:
> 
> 
> > PRR 60 said:
> ...


Aloha

I believe that is well south of Camp Pendelton, as it appears to be right after the GO Yards (I think) but the point that is " the median" appears correct to me.


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## Rumpled (Dec 2, 2009)

GG-1 said:


> Aloha
> I believe that is well south of Camp Pendelton, as it appears to be right after the GO Yards (I think) but the point that is " the median" appears correct to me.


That section is still part of Pendleton, base housing is surrounding that area. The southern extent of Pendleton is just past this rail section.

Pendleton occupies about 18 miles of I-5; it's a fairly long base.

(with nothing else around and only a few exits, some people call this the unlimited speed zone - cars do go real fast here when there is no traffic, probably an 80+ average)


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## frequentflyer (Dec 2, 2009)

stntylr said:


> saxman said:
> 
> 
> > In Austin the Texas Eagle runs in the median of the MoPac freeway just north of the station for a few miles. Of course we know MoPac was named after the Missouri Pacific Railroad. I wonder how many drivers know that?
> ...



I drive down Mopac all the time, is the speed limit really 70mph for the Eagle?


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 2, 2009)

frequentflyer said:


> stntylr said:
> 
> 
> > In Austin the Texas Eagle runs in the median of the MoPac freeway just north of the station for a few miles. Of course we know MoPac was named after the Missouri Pacific Railroad. I wonder how many drivers know that?
> ...


I honestly don't know the official speed limit for the Eagle when it's running down Mopac but most of the time #21 is moving right along after it clears the 183/MOPAC interchange. Of course the traffic is usually backed up or barely moving @ 630-7PM when it arrives but if I had to guess based on my ridin g it so many times Id say it runs @ least 70 before slowing as it approaches the underpass with MOPAC/Lake Austin Blvd. which is where the turn to the left on the approach to the station requires a fairly slow speed (maybe 25mph)! #22 usually runs slower on the way North, don't know if its because of slow orders or is SOP but Ive never seen #22 going very fast up MOPAC whether I was on it or driving up MOPAC!


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## frequentflyer (Dec 2, 2009)

jimhudson said:


> frequentflyer said:
> 
> 
> > In Austin the Texas Eagle runs in the median of the MoPac freeway just north of the station for a few miles. Of course we know MoPac was named after the Missouri Pacific Railroad. I wonder how many drivers know that?
> ...



Because one is going uphill when heading north on the MoPac.


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 2, 2009)

Gee, I only drove this route twice daily to/from work, and still use it about 2-3 times a week, you'd think I'd remember that, must be a Senior moment! How embarrasing, of course you are correct sir!


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