Author Topic: Port Canaveral Rail Extension  (Read 5113 times)

Offline Jim

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Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« on: 11/18/2014 01:29 pm »
http://www.portcanaveralraileis.com/index.html

A few things I can gather from this.  The trestle looks like it is 18 feet above the water

1.  It might block the view of launches from the SR528 causeway.
2.  It might peeve some people who use the first few dredging spoil islands (the largest is known as Ski Island) for recreation.
3.  This would basically block assess to the LC-39 turn basin and Hangar AF wharf.  Meaning that the SLS core would have to be offloaded in the port much like Delta IV cores.
« Last Edit: 11/18/2014 01:30 pm by Jim »

Offline rayleighscatter

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #1 on: 11/18/2014 09:40 pm »
At least concerning #3, I suspect either the USCG or USACE (I don't know which has regulatory authority at that location) will insist on improved access, some sort of opening bridge. It's hard to convince either to permit something that impacts existing traffic.

Offline Jim

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #2 on: 11/18/2014 10:19 pm »
At least concerning #3, I suspect either the USCG or USACE (I don't know which has regulatory authority at that location) will insist on improved access, some sort of opening bridge. It's hard to convince either to permit something that impacts existing traffic.

The traffic is only the space center's and they are partner on this. 

Online Orbiter

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #3 on: 11/18/2014 10:56 pm »
Any idea when construction on this might start?
« Last Edit: 11/18/2014 11:03 pm by Orbiter »
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Offline p51

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #4 on: 11/19/2014 07:40 pm »
On a related note, does anyone know what the spur that runs along the beach just west of the pad 39 area was used for? I've seen those tracks a few times over the years and have wondered what they got used for way out there.
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Offline rayleighscatter

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #5 on: 11/19/2014 08:28 pm »
On a related note, does anyone know what the spur that runs along the beach just west of the pad 39 area was used for? I've seen those tracks a few times over the years and have wondered what they got used for way out there.
I believe the Apollo program received fuel via railroad.

Offline p51

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #6 on: 11/19/2014 10:04 pm »
I believe the Apollo program received fuel via railroad.
Makes sense, but I wish I could find a shot of anything on those tracks. Must have been a pumping station near the shore as the tanks and pads are a pretty long way from those rails...
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Offline Jim

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #7 on: 11/20/2014 02:09 am »
On a related note, does anyone know what the spur that runs along the beach just west of the pad 39 area was used for? I've seen those tracks a few times over the years and have wondered what they got used for way out there.

Along the beach and west of the pad are mutually exclusive

The track along the beach is how the Titan SRM segments were delivered to the ITL and LH2 was delivered to the LC-39 pads.
Here is the offloading station.
https://goo.gl/maps/xauhJ

The spur that goes near the VAB (west of pad 39)  was used for Shuttle SRM segment delivery.  It also serviced the KSC industrial area and is the what the Port Canaveral extension connects to.

The spur from the SRB area that follows the crawler way was here He tankers were stored.
« Last Edit: 11/20/2014 02:22 am by Jim »

Offline p51

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #8 on: 11/20/2014 06:33 pm »
Along the beach and west of the pad are mutually exclusive
The track along the beach is how the Titan SRM segments were delivered to the ITL and LH2 was delivered to the LC-39 pads.
Here is the offloading station.
https://goo.gl/maps/xauhJ
Thanks for the link. I'd never followed that track before and now realize that the tracks I was asking about aren't connected to anything now. They end at the South at Titan II Road, just south of a Launch facility (I didn't bother comparing it to a map to see which one it was) and ends in the dunes to the North, line abreast of the Pad 39 complex on the East side, right along the shoreline.
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Offline Jim

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Re: Port Canaveral Rail Extension
« Reply #9 on: 11/20/2014 06:52 pm »

Thanks for the link. I'd never followed that track before and now realize that the tracks I was asking about aren't connected to anything now. They end at the South at Titan II Road, just south of a Launch facility (I didn't bother comparing it to a map to see which one it was) and ends in the dunes to the North, line abreast of the Pad 39 complex on the East side, right along the shoreline.

Those are the ones that serviced the Titan program.  Titan III road had tracks on both sides. 

"The track along the beach is how the Titan SRM segments were delivered to the ITL "  The ITL is the Titan launch facility that encompass LC-40 and 41 and areas south.

You can see all the ITL tracks here
http://afspacemuseum.org/ccafs/ITL/ITL_Area.jpg

And in the upper left, where the NASA railroad that goes by 39 A & B interfaces with it.
« Last Edit: 11/20/2014 07:00 pm by Jim »

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