Potomac Yard clearance limitation, or was it the Baltimore tunnels?

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

OGF:
I haven't been "in the loop" since '95, so I can't don't know  what the 
improvements
at Charlottesville have brought to NS.  As Mr. Foley noted, the  track has 
been
undercut to provide a clearance of  19'1" ATR (at top of rail).   My 
impression is that the
problem now is farther south on the Washington - Atlanta main line, namely  at
Salisbury.  There are overhead bridges there that won't clear a  double-stack.
Several years ago, a double-stack destined Charlotte from Atlanta had  been
placed in the wrong classification at Inman Yard.  No one caught the  
oversight
and the car proceeded north from Charlotte with smashing  results. 
 
I don't believe the arch at MP 112.2 was much of a deterrent to Southern's  
TOFC
traffic.  For years, THE schedule on the Eastern Lines was No.  153.  It 
originated
at Pot Yard and carried traffic for Atlanta and beyond ONLY.  In later  
years, the
symbol was used for Southern's TOFC flyer from Van Dorn Avenue,  Alexandria
to Atlanta.  I don't know of any incident where No. 153 was delayed by  
clearances.
 
Speaking of No. 153, Robert N. Woodall had been Vice President-Traffic for  
Southern.
He left Southern and came to work for N&W.  He could probably  write chapters
on No. 153.  After a disagreement with D.W. Brosnan, he was sentenced  to 
serve 30 days on No. 153.  He'd leave Pot Yard about 7:30 AM and  arrive 
Atlanta
sixteen hours later.  At Inman Yard, the railroad police  would meet Mr. 
Woodall
and drive him to Hartsfield Intl. Airport to catch the "night owl" back to  
D.C.  By
7:30 AM the next day, he was in place to catch No. 153 again.
                                                              Harry Bundy
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20050709/e2b9ebca/attachment.html