WARES May 2025 Meeting

Brandon Knapp, CSXT

The historic Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore, originally opened in the late 1800s, has officially closed for reconstruction as part of an initiative to modernize the nearly 8,700-foot-long tunnel and enable double-stack intermodal service along CSX’s I-95 Rail Corridor.

On February 1, the project reached a significant milestone with the removal of rail spikes, marking the next phase of work on the Howard Street Tunnel Project. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, the initiative aims to increase vertical clearance in the 125-year-old tunnel and address 22 additional obstructions along the corridor between Baltimore and Philadelphia, improving connectivity to key Midwest markets.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to alleviate a restriction on our network and open up new opportunities for CSX,” said Ed Sparks, CSX chief engineer of bridge design and construction. “We’re starting something big today.”

The Howard Street Tunnel upgrades will enhance intermodal rail service on CSX’s I-95 corridor while better connecting the Seagirt Marine Terminal Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the Port of Baltimore with interior distribution hubs.

“It strengthens the Port of Baltimore’s competitiveness with other East Coast ports,” said Brandon Knapp, CSX senior director of Mid-Atlantic construction. “This project benefits CSX while also boosting the region’s economy.”

Knapp credited the milestone to collaboration across the company, describing the effort as a “complete ONE CSX” initiative. Teams from transportation, engineering, sales, and marketing have contributed to advancing the project, he said.

Safety remains a top priority as work accelerates, said Mike Cory, CSX executive vice president and chief operating officer.

“We have a lot of people on this property, not all of them CSX employees, but we’re all one team,” Cory said. “We want this to be a completely injury- and accident-free project. It’s important to work safely, work smart, and look out for one another.”

The tunnel reconstruction is part of a larger partnership involving CSX, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the state of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and other stakeholders. Once complete, it is expected to enhance operational efficiency, bolster the competitiveness of CSX-served markets, and deliver economic benefits to the region.

With progress well underway and completion set for the second half of 2025, CSX is moving closer to achieving a modernized corridor that will drive growth for the company, its customers, and the surrounding community. Watch the video below to see the CSX team in action at the Howard Street Tunnel closure.

Host or Publisher Washington Area Railway Engineering Society (W.A.R.E.S.)