Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Work is moving full speed on the New River Valley’s new Amtrak station in Christiansburg. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has released new information on where the work stands there and also in Radford for a layover/turnaround site.
In a release, the VPRA said people may have noticed the station site is developing quickly and despite last month’s winter weather, which slowed crews down as they shifted focus to snow and ice removal, progress on the project continues smoothly.
Already, Norfolk Southern crews have installed a turnout along the west end of Cambria.
The switch, cross ties, rail and ballast were all fully installed along this connection and track set to final elevation.
At Cambria, contractors have substantially completed the sub-structure of the parking lot. The T-Wall, or Gravix Wall, is a heavy-duty concrete wall used to hold back the earth. Cellular concrete, lightweight concrete filled with tiny air bubbles, will be poured into the empty spaces between the “T-Stems” which make up the structure of the T-Wall.
According to VPRA, the T-Wall will create a strong, level base for the parking lot at the correct grade elevation.
Concrete grade beams, or supporting columns, will make up the support structure of the nearly 1,000-foot platform. Over 100 foundations for the tiers have been excavated, and contractors have begun pouring concrete to create those columns in the first section of grade beams.
The first of many electrical and wiring connections have been installed on the eastern end of the site, and crews will install the rest of the underground and overhead power connection before building the platform or walkways.
Crews have installed the cantilever signal, which is an overhead track signal that is mounted on a tall pole with a long arm hanging out over the rails, instead of being placed on the ground next to them.
The signal tells the train engineer whether to stop, slow down, or proceed, based on track conditions ahead.
Meanwhile in Radford, the VPRA says crews have continued the trenching and installation of conduit turnups within the electrical yard. Placement of layover tracks continues, and crews have completed installation of ties, rail, turnouts, switches, and derails.
