The NASA Railroad (reporting mark NLAX) is a Class III industrial short-line railroad at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The railroad consists of 38 miles (61 km) of track connecting the mainline of the Florida East Coast Railway and trackage at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[1]
[edit] Overview
NASA uses the railroad to transport equipment which cannot be transported over the road to and from other NASA locations. Rail transportation also offers cost savings over transporting bulky and heavy cargo via barge or aircraft.
Much of the rail traffic is devoted to segments of the reusable solid rocket boosters (SRB) from the Thiokol plant in Utah back again for refurbishment after Space Shuttle launches and recovery. 24 cars are devoted to transporting the SRBs.[1]
With the end of the Shuttle program in 2011, the railroad's future is uncertain. It's future is under review by the government, and a decision will be made in late 2011 or early 2012. It could possibly serve to deliver equipment for private space launches at Cape Canaveral. [2]
[edit] Equipment
The NASA Railroad currently operates three SW1500 switchers, all of which are former Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway units, and more than 102 rolling stock cars. The fleet is maintained by the NASA Railroad shop, which also maintains locomotives and cars for the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
![[icon]](/web/20120605081504/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small}
