Sound Transit's Missing Mile

[DelmonteX]

Has there been an official decision on the Pacific Ave crossing in the middle of the D to M st missing mile?

Constuction is under way along this route. I checked Sound Transits project pages and there is not a word (least I could find) about the construction of the crossing. The big controversy was to build with piers or a berm. They did mention that Pacific ave is to be closed for 11 months with a detour that requires building a huge retaining wall between S. Tacoma Way and Delin St.

A search of the Tacoma News Tribune turned up nothing as well.

 

[GHLines]

just cruised up that way yesterday, and looks like they have begun construction of a retaining wall along S Tacoma ay at Pac Ave.

 

[East Of Easton]

I posted this thread in Oct 2009 (damn, time flies), with PDF...

Sound Transit's Tacoma Extension Visualized

...when it was released for public consumption. As far as I know, this is still the "publicly known" final version of the crossing.

The only major change from ST's initial formal presentation and this version is the inclusion of a viaduct over the B St. Gulch, as opposed to one continuous berm. The explanation was to allow for a "wildlife corridor." Puzzling, since the only wildlife I ever see traverse the gulch is of the Homo Sapien, underpass dwelling, variety.

I believe there is now the addition of some noise abatement walls behind the Tacoma Rescue Mission, as well.

 

[DelmonteX]

I've got a copy of that too Nick. After it was released, there was quite a bit of controversy about the berm vs. an open viaduct type of structure and I was under the impression a decision was still to be made.

So you're saying, Sound Transit's plan was a firm one, unless some got them to change it?

 

[Macster]

I've got a copy of that too Nick. After it was released, there was quite a bit of controversy about the berm vs. an open viaduct type of structure and I was under the impression a decision was still to be made.

So you're saying, Sound Transit's plan was a firm one, unless some got them to change it?

Here you go Steve,

http://projects.soundtransit.org/Pr...ents/D-to-M-Streets-Track-and-Signal-Work.xml

And it will be a viaduct over the small wetland with the berm covering the rest of the distance.

 

[DelmonteX]

Thanks Brian.

I didn't find those pages. Yet, I still don't see where they describe the construction of the east approach to the Pacific ave bridge.

Something else I couldn't find: The grade from Pacific Ave to the top of the hill just south of M st. I know they tested an F59 on the Tacoma Rail Gulch a few years back, but how is the SB Starlight going to due, lugging 10 cars or so with a couple of P42s up that hill?

 

[GHLines]

Thanks Brian.

I didn't find those pages. Yet, I still don't see where they describe the construction of the east approach to the Pacific ave bridge.

Something else I couldn't find: The grade from Pacific Ave to the top of the hill just south of M st. I know they tested an F59 on the Tacoma Rail Gulch a few years back, but how is the SB Starlight going to due, lugging 10 cars or so with a couple of P42s up that hill?

Pull out of freight House in notch 8 and get a run at it

 

[Kevin M]

I thought the Starlight was going to continue to use the exsisting route.
Kevin

 

[DelmonteX]

I thought the Starlight was going to continue to use the exsisting route.
Kevin

All passenger trains are supposed to move to the Bypass, unless I missed something.

It would seem unlikely two depots would be maintained, one for the Cascades and Sounders and the other for two long distance trains per day.

 

[Macster]

All passenger trains are supposed to move to the Bypass, unless I missed something.

It would seem unlikely two depots would be maintained, one for the Cascades and Sounders and the other for two long distance trains per day.

All passenger trains (excluding BNSF Officer trains) will be using the Point Defiance run.

The Coast Starlight will have no problem lugging 14 to 16 cars with a train load a people, the grade is no more than 2.8%, which is more than plenty for the train to get up to the 30mph speed limit. As it is though, they will be blocking D Street when the train is spotted unless they close D Street and extend the platform across the street...