Overview | |
---|---|
Location | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Coordinates | 38°53′05″N77°00′27″W / 38.88485°N 77.00755°W |
System | Amtrak |
Operation | |
Constructed | 1904-1906 |
Opened | 1906 |
Owner | Amtrak |
Traffic | Train |
Character | Passenger |
Technical | |
Length | 4,033 ft (1,229 m) |
No. of tracks | 2 single-track tubes |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
Lowest elevation | 63 ft (19.2 m) below street |
Tunnel clearance | 17 ft (5.18 m) |
Width | Each tube 16 ft (4.88 m) |
Grade | 0.13% |
The First Street Tunnel is a two-track, soft-earth tunnel built between 1904 and 1906 by the Washington Terminal Company to serve as the southern approach to Union Station in Washington, D.C. Currently owned by Amtrak, it connects to lower-level tracks and platforms at the station, passes under Capitol Hill and connects to the RF&P Subdivision (CSX Transportation) and Long Bridge, offering through railway service to Alexandria, Virginia, and points west and south.
Unlike the Northeast Corridor tracks north of Union Station, the tunnel tracks are not electrified, so southbound trains leaving Union Station must switch to diesel locomotives before entering the tunnel. Exiting Union Station, the tunnel runs due south under First Street NE and SE before curving to the southwest under a parking lot near the Capitol South Metro station. Its southern portal is just east of South Capitol Street at the intersection of D Street SE and New Jersey Avenue SE.
Washington Union Station, known locally as Union Station, is a major train station, transportation hub, and leisure destination in Washington, D.C. Designed by Daniel Burnham and opened in 1907, it is Amtrak's headquarters, the railroad's second-busiest station, and North America's 10th-busiest railroad station. The station is the southern terminus of the Northeast Corridor, an electrified rail line extending north through major cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston, and the busiest passenger rail line in the nation. In 2015, it served just under five million passengers.
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The Sheriff Road–Capitol Heights Line, designated Route F14, is a bus route that operates Monday to Saturday that is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between New Carrollton station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Naylor Road station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 30-35 minutes during rush hours and 50 minutes at all other times. Trips are roughly 60 minutes to complete.