Lynchburg VA NE Regional (ext. to Roanoke and Bristol)

One of the coaches did. The one in front of the Cafe car. The rest were still the old upholstery.

Here is the 2nd Roanoke to Boston NE Regional train 176 arriving OT at RTE Wednesday 11/1 at 7:47pm.

gokeefe wrote: Here's the coverage from Bristol of the local delegation's attendance in Roanoke at yesterday's cermonies:

In the meantime, this at least opens up Blacksburg and the New River Valley via bus connection: http://smartwaybus.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Matt Johnson wrote:

gokeefe wrote: Here's the coverage from Bristol of the local delegation's attendance in Roanoke at yesterday's cermonies:

In the meantime, this at least opens up Blacksburg and the New River Valley via bus connection: http://smartwaybus.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Have they restructured the bus since Amtrak came to RNK? It'd be nice if they'd run it more often (and more-deeply embed it into NRV life & use) now that they don't have to have a long run over to Lynchburg.

Has Smartway found a way to be more likely everyday bread, rather than cake for special occaisions? Very little evidence on website.

Worth noting that VA DRPT is "on the record" in their budget for FY 18 that they expect the Roanoke service to be extended to Christiansburg in FY 19.

1-81 Corridor: Study for extension of Amtrak service to the New River Valley
2
The Department awarded $350,000 in IPROC funds in FYI 9 to the New River Valley effort to
study network requirements to accommodate the extension of Amtrak service from Roanoke to
Christiansburg in Fiscal Year 2019. This study would be performed with Norfolk Southern and
would be the basis to negotiate necessary infrastructure improvements. The Department
envisions the scope of the study to include necessary improvements associated with a possible
extension to Bristol in the future, if the budget allows.

The statement appears to say that the study and the extension will be completed in the same year. Good luck interpreting this one ...

VA DRPT will be undertaking capital improvements on Norfolk Southern's tracks towards Bristol in FY '18. See PDF Page 89/91.

A happy surprise! I didn’t think Christiansburg service was set to begin at a definite date, let alone so soon.

gokeefe wrote:VA DRPT will be undertaking capital improvements on Norfolk Southern's tracks towards Bristol in FY '18. See PDF Page 89/91.

I also see Lynchburg train #2 budgeted starting in FY2018

gokeefe wrote:Worth noting that VA DRPT is "on the record" in their budget for FY 18 that they expect the Roanoke service to be extended to Christiansburg in FY 19.

Wait. Are we sure we are looking at the FY 2018 Budget? The link takes me to a cover letter dated November 2016, exactly one year ago. Isn't that old news? Isn't there a newer budget and letter coming any day now?

I know many states have a different fiscal year from the feds, so I could be lost in time ...

This is what is publicly available at the moment. Given last week's electoral outcome I think you can rest assured all projects will continue as planned.

The Virginia Dept of Rail & Public Transportation is subsidizing a new bus service from Blacksburg, Christiansburg and other cities along I81 & I66 to Dulles Airport and Washington Union Station with thru ticketing with MegaBus.
( http://www.roanoke.com/news/local/black ... 30ad1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
$50 flat rate from Blacksburg & less closer to DC. Seems like competition for the new Roanoke service although the bus service does not serve Roanoke.

dgvrengineer wrote:The Virginia Dept of Rail & Public Transportation is subsidizing a new bus service from Blacksburg, Christiansburg and other cities along I81 & I66 to Dulles Airport and Washington Union Station with thru ticketing with MegaBus.
( http://www.roanoke.com/news/local/black ... 30ad1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )
$50 flat rate from Blacksburg & less closer to DC. Seems like competition for the new Roanoke service although the bus service does not serve Roanoke.

I'd see this as the future of service along I-81, where a bus uses a mostly-uncongested 70mph right of way from Christiansburg to Centreville (and probably can sustain 40mph to Dulles, West Falls Church and Union Station), and if it is successful, they can increase frequency easily.

The beauty of today's Amtrak is that it competes with congested US-29 (C'ville, Lynchburg), I-95 (Richmond) and I-64 (to NFK/NPN) trains are the upgrade path here.

I-81 is not congested, and so it is logical to run buses, and the upgrade path is to more frequent buses, and not to trains.

The buses will make daily departures from Virginia Tech’s Squires Student Center at 8 a.m. and will arrive at D.C.’s Union Station at 2:30 p.m. The return trip will leave Union Station at 9:30 a.m. and will arrive at Squires by 3:40 p.m.

The bus is 6.5hrs northbound and 6.2hrs southbound, compared to RNK-WAS taking 5 hours (and Blacksburg Thruway service taking nearly 7 hours). So right around the New River Valley, the train's schedule advantage ends, and bus' frequency advantage will start to dominate, ergo, I don't see the train getting to Bristol, but rather a swarm of buses.

Those times appear to be best case. Have poked along on I-81 waiting for line of trucks to clear. Now if the Crescent corridor of NS could remove those trucks ???

east point wrote:Those times appear to be best case. Have poked along on I-81 waiting for line of trucks to clear. Now if the Crescent corridor of NS could remove those trucks ???

They've chosen good times in both directions: both arriving in DC at midday (after the AM rush) and departing before the evening rush, but could easily put additional frequencies up to 2 hours earlier and 1 hour later

Northbound times that would arrive at DC at uncongested times:
6am, 7am, 8am, 9am, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm

Southbound times that would leave DC at uncongested times
10am, 11am, 12n, 1p, 2pm, 8pm,

For most of the day, it is easier to subsidize another bus than to pay $100m to NS & CSX for slots.

Does anyone know the route mileage dc to Roanoke (or Roanoke to bristol)? Didn't come up in a search