BALTIMORE – Amtrak recaps progress made on its B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
The 1.4-mile long Baltimore & Potomac (B&P) Tunnel is Amtrak’s oldest tunnel. It connects Penn Station in Baltimore to Washington D.C. and currently “suffers from a variety of age-related issues such as excessive water infiltration, a deteriorating structure, and a sinking floor.” Recently, its contractor for the program finished geotechnical investigations in preparation for future construction of the new Frederick Douglass Tunnel. According to a release from Amtrak, the tunnel will serve electrified Amtrak and MARC passenger trains and can support speeds up to 100 mph.
As part of its geotechnical investigations, Amtrak says the soil borings are part of the process to “confirm the current design assumptions and identify the best means and methods for any necessary ground stabilization for the future tunneling work.” The work is necessary for construction to begin. This work took place underneath light rail tracks that lead toward MTA’s North Avenue Light Rail Maintenance Facility. To allow said work to take place, stops between Falls Road and Camden Station were closed over the weekend…