Here is a link to a brief discussion about railroad curvature and superelevation of outside rails for various operating speeds: http://www.highspeed-rail.org/Documents/PRIIA%20305%20DocSpec%20and%20other%20NGEC%20Documents/305%20PRIIA%20Tilt%20presentation.pdf
The Pittsburgh to Harrisburg line can be adjusted to increase speed. Determining how to do so requires engineering studies.
The comments posted indicate that there is a possibility to increase the operating speed. Until an engineering study is made, the practicality of doing so requires engineering skill. Many of the suggestions made would entail large earth moving projects.
The question becomes, how and why should the Pittsburgh to Harrisburg line be improved?
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Step 1: Talk to right of way owner and find out what class of track they would be interested in, in pursuit of better freight capacity, what speed they would like for balance heavy freight through the curve, and what centerline offset separation they want, for 90mph and 110mph passenger rail.
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Do an inventory in each slow zone, corridor capacity for express track superelevated to satisfy target balanced heavy freight speed, resulting speed.
Step 3. Identify remaining transit speed bottlenecks, and do indicative costing on 1deg, 2deg, and 3deg curve easing. Sort projects by time gained per dollar.
Step 4. Budget all in-corridor work, determine how much additional might be available, select curve easings starting with highest bang for the buck.