Expanding Virginia's Passenger Rail

[dgvrengineer]

There is a new report out on Virginia's Commonwealth Corridor. I see VDRPT isn't part of the report.

http://www.vhsr.com/sites/default/files ... 0Final.pdf

[mtuandrew]

Moderator’s Note: moved to Amtrak via General Discussion: Passenger Rail, since this is a retread of the Trans-Dominion Express proposal and is being illustrated with Amtrak equipment. Doesn’t look like an official Commonwealth of Virginia white paper, but from advocacy groups.

[electricron]

Moderator’s Note: moved to Amtrak via General Discussion: Passenger Rail, since this is a retread of the Trans-Dominion Express proposal and is being illustrated with Amtrak equipment. Doesn’t look like an official Commonwealth of Virginia white paper, but from advocacy groups.

It is also very sad how slow a train can be that advocates for HSR will support.

[mtuandrew]

It is also very sad how slow a train can be that advocates for HSR will support.

Agreed. If routed via the Buckingham Branch as this appears to be proposed, this train would be lucky to average 40 mph without drastic upgrades. Not that they shouldn’t push for a cross-Commonwealth route, but this would be close to the Hoosier State in slowness.

[Arlington]

As you think about expanding VA Pax Rail, think about these numbers for each carrier that uses the Long Bridge. The first thing I noticed (over in the DC thread where the main discussion on Long Bridge is happening) was that there are slots available on the bridge itself (which surprised me)

The three numbers are trains per day "NOW" "NO-BUILD MAX" and "MAX AFTER ADDING a second span" to the Long Bridge

VREX 34 38 92
MARC 0 0 8
AMTK 24 26 44
CSXT 18 42 42
NS** 0 6 6
TOTAL 76 112 192

This says that VRE could add 2 round trips if it wanted to, and Amtrak could add one. Are these being held in reserve for reverse/positioning moves?

If Amtrak could have added one (or borrowed an unused pair from VRE) I don't get why there isn't already an additional NER on the NS.

[Arlington]

There is a new report out on Virginia's Commonwealth Corridor. I see VDRPT isn't part of the report.
http://www.vhsr.com/sites/default/files ... 0Final.pdf

I really wish they'd stop their "looks good on a map" approach to route planning. There's got to be a way to serve I-64 at non-rush times to make an-all interstate bus routing:
(on I-64) Tidewater-Richmond-C'Ville-Staunton (on I-81) Lexington-Christiansburg-Blacksburg and maybe Bristol


For Rail, I can see almost any routing working as long as it ties to WAS, such as:
Roanoke-Lynchburg-CVille-BB-Richmond-WASHINGTON
NORFOLK-Richmond-BB-CVille-WASHINGTON
These look *BAD* on a map, but the reality is they hit much bigger demand centers than the pure-east-west routes.

[bretton88]

As you think about expanding VA Pax Rail, think about these numbers for each carrier that uses the Long Bridge. The first thing I noticed (over in the DC thread where the main discussion on Long Bridge is happening) was that there are slots available on the bridge itself (which surprised me)

The three numbers are trains per day "NOW" "NO-BUILD MAX" and "MAX AFTER ADDING a second span" to the Long Bridge

VREX 34 38 92
MARC 0 0 8
AMTK 24 26 44
CSXT 18 42 42
NS** 0 6 6
TOTAL 76 112 192

This says that VRE could add 2 round trips if it wanted to, and Amtrak could add one. Are these being held in reserve for reverse/positioning moves?

If Amtrak could have added one (or borrowed an unused pair from VRE) I don't get why there isn't already an additional NER on the NS.

No, a lot of those slots, if not all of them are CSX's slots that they aren't using consistently. Maybe CSX would be willing to give them up, but I doubt it, especially since they're the owner of the current bridge.

[gokeefe]

Interesting to see advocacy efforts focusing on intra-state service. This effort could have broader implications for other Amtrak routes that might use certain segments as well.

[Rockingham Racer]

Yes, they're following Illinois' and California's examples in that regard.

[Station Aficionado]

There is almost no case for Richmond-C’ville as a rail connection. BB provides a slow, indirect route, with almost no intermediate business. Even as a bus connection, it’s tough. Other than the Amtrak Thruways, I don’t think there is currently any service. I doubt there is a lot of Richmond-Roanoke or Richmond-Lynchburg non-auto traffic to be had. And what there is can be handled, along with the C’ville traffic quicker and cheaper by 2 or 3 daily state-sponsored Thruways or Breezes.

[njtmnrrbuff]

If it takes running a state sponsored thruway bus service from anywhere in Western VA across the state to Richmond and even the Hampton Roads, than that’s what would be the best choice. I know that there is already Thruway bus service at Charlottesville that runs to and from the Richmond stations, at least Staples Mill Rd and they connect to 19, 20, 51, and 50.

Eventually, there are plans for Amtrak to run like every hour to Richmond from the north. I know that that third train from Norfolk is being worked on in the short term. I hope that that second train that runs only Monday’s through Fridays to Norfolk becomes a daily run soon.

[Literalman]

there are slots available on the bridge itself

A few years ago at a meeting of the Virginia Assn. of Railway Patrons, somebody from CSX said, if I recall correctly, that the bridge and the CSX mainline aren't full around the clock, but they are full at rush hour. There's some capacity (obviously on weekends and holidays, when all those VRE trains aren't running) but generally not at times when anybody wants to run passenger trains.

[ExCon90]

True--that's the trouble with averages. You could probably divide 24 hours by the number of movements and conclude that additional capacity is available, and there is: right when nobody wants to travel.