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

MattW wrote:Except for the fact that the lowest price I could find for an airline direct ROA-WAS was $* round trip while it was only $* LYH-WAS (even if it doubled to ROA, that's still way cheaper) and the lowest price for ROA-NYP was $* vs. Amtrak's $*. Yea, it's longer, sure there (slightly) cheaper 1-transfer airline fares, but price wise, looks like Amtrak wins for a Roanoke train.

Edit by Moderator: No fare reporting. Check the forum rules, please. Dave Becker

I don't want MattW's point to be lost...it is a good one, but not (in my opinion) quite enough to say ROA is "better" than LYH. Let's just say that ROA-WAS is the worst-case scenario looked at because it has ZERO effective price competition...only United flies nonstop, and flying on US or DL requires back-tracking through PHL/ LGA or ATL. So, yes, ROA-IAD nonstop fares are 25x LYH-WAS train fares and ROA-(NEC) connecting fares are 20x. ....but if you are a solo business traveler who can pass the ticket cost on, well, if you're in ROA, you're going to fly commercial, and if you have a party of 3 or 4 in either LYH or ROA (and can bill somebody) you're also going to charter and fly.

As bad as airfares are from ROA they are still cheaper than the airfares from LYH.

I'm not saying ROA service wouldn't work, I'm just saying it won't be the same fabulous return on investment that just getting to LYH has been. Amtrak service to ROA would probably have the effect of lowering airfares and splitting the market (not eliminating the airlines as competition). Service to LYH still has the virtue of having no air competition at any price short of chartering a plane.

Back when I was a student at Virginia Tech with no car, I would've loved to have Amtrak service to Roanoke! I've flown out of ROA numerous times.

How long would it be by train from Lynchburg to Roanoke? I don't have my timetable collection close at hand, so I can't look up what SOU/N&W did in days of yore. I suspect that driving time (via car or bus) would be shorter. Another factor in not extending the train to Roanoke might be that there is not presently a good station stop. Wasn't the concourse for the the N&W station in Roanoke knocked down? And the building is now otherwise occupied. And, finally, how would NS feel about it?

I think it is only about 45 minutes driving time from Lynchburg to Roanoke, but I could be a little off on this. I remember going to a conference in Roanoke and we took the Crescent down, rented a car from the Lynchburg airport and headed out to Roanoke late that evening upon arrival into Lynchburg. We then had to wake-up early to catch the train back to Lynchburg from Roanoke. I think we had to leave by 5 a.m. but then allow some time to drop off the car at the Lynchburg airport and get a taxi over to the Lynchburg train station.

jp1822 wrote:I think it is only about 45 minutes driving time from Lynchburg to Roanoke, but I could be a little off on this.

google maps has it at 1 hour and 8 minutes, unfortunately it does not look like it is an easy drive, its not on an interstate, its on US 460.

Per the March 1971 Official Guide, SOU trains 17-18 (Washington-Bristol) covered 52.6 miles between Lynchburg and Roanoke in 1:05 in both directions. That's better than I expected, and would be competitive with driving (assuming just over an hour driving time), if it could be duplicated today. Is anyone familiar with the line, its speed limits and signalling?

Here's a link to a Virginia Dept of Rail Transportation Report from 2008 on the then-proposed (now extant) new trains to Richmond and Lynchburg: http://www.drpt.virginia.gov/studies/fi ... -25-08.pdf.
It has a small section talking about extending the Lynchburg train to Roanoke. It indicates that the track is quite suitable, but is heavily used by NS. It also suggests an Ambus connection as an intermediate step.

While likely some here are astounded to see the following with my byline, I would be in favor of extending the Lynchburg Regional to Roanoke.

First, no additional equipment would be required; and I cannot imagine that NS has more traffic to handle between Roanoke and Lynchburg than Northward of the latter. I would hope that now some twenty years into the merger, any 'two different railroad' mentality, i.e. SRY Wash-Lyn N&W Lyn-Roa, is on the scrap line, but of course on the other hand, railroads are railroads.

Secondly, with reports that the existing service, even considering its "Advance Crescent' or "Second Crescent' as the case may be scheduling, is doing well, why tinker? My concern is that the next time someone under the Dome in Richmond decides "it's time to cut; I don't care what we cut, just CUT" (remember, they are ".....our finest men; and so we elect them again and again"), someone not knowing a drawbar from a draftgear, will look and say "why do we need these two trains chasing each other up the line?' That they serve different end points would go a long way to rebuff any such initiative.

Finally, and I realize we have a few VPI "lums" around here who would love to again have service to Christiansburg, even if for no reason other than this. Unfortunately, that gets into a whole different set of traffic parameters, namely export coal "rolling down to the sea'.

So if they started this service, what would be some towns they would stop at intermediately, if any? I'm sure every single little small town the tracks go through would lobby for a stop but they'd probably only stop where it makes economical sense.

Trusting that I'm following the correct line on Google Maps it goes through these towns that actually appear on the map:

Lynchburg, VA
Forest, VA
Goode, VA
Lowry, VA **For., Goo., and Low. all being pretty close together maybe an intermediate stop?
Bedford, VA **Looks like a decent sized town
Thaxton, VA
Montvale, VA **Thax. and Mont. are pretty small towns (probably worthless)
Blue Ridge, VA **Pretty worthless unless they wanted a stop in a park
Vinton, VA **Decently close to Roanoke but in a seemingly dense area maybe worthy of a more accessible stop.
Roanoke, VA **Looks like the Visitor Center would make sense as the stop since there's a building that could serve as a station too and there's still an island platform there. Also, past the station there looks to be ample space for putting in a stub track or two if they rip up some crappy parking lot.

So anyone's thoughts on which towns might be worth stopping at, being a Marylander I haven't heard of any of these towns besides Lynchburg and Roanoke. Also, if anyone knows what towns this train originally stopped in that would be awesome!

Davis

Gilbert B Norman wrote:While likely some here are astounded to see the following with my byline, I would be in favor of extending the Lynchburg Regional to Roanoke.

Mirabile dictu!

strench707 wrote:So if they started this service, what would be some towns they would stop at intermediately, if any? I'm sure every single little small town the tracks go through would lobby for a stop but they'd probably only stop where it makes economical sense.

Trusting that I'm following the correct line on Google Maps it goes through these towns that actually appear on the map:

Lynchburg, VA
Forest, VA
Goode, VA
Lowry, VA **For., Goo., and Low. all being pretty close together maybe an intermediate stop?
Bedford, VA **Looks like a decent sized town
Thaxton, VA
Montvale, VA **Thax. and Mont. are pretty small towns (probably worthless)
Blue Ridge, VA **Pretty worthless unless they wanted a stop in a park
Vinton, VA **Decently close to Roanoke but in a seemingly dense area maybe worthy of a more accessible stop.
Roanoke, VA **Looks like the Visitor Center would make sense as the stop since there's a building that could serve as a station too and there's still an island platform there. Also, past the station there looks to be ample space for putting in a stub track or two if they rip up some crappy parking lot.

So anyone's thoughts on which towns might be worth stopping at, being a Marylander I haven't heard of any of these towns besides Lynchburg and Roanoke. Also, if anyone knows what towns this train originally stopped in that would be awesome!

Davis

At just over 50 miles between Lynchburg and Roanoke, I would think there we no intermediate stops. (Note that Orange has wanted a Crescent or Cardinal stop between Culpeper & Charlottesville for years, but no dice.)

Back in the late 70s when the infamous Hilltopper ran (Catlettsburg, KY (long connection to/from 50/51) to/from Washington and points North (as it ran as 66/67) via Petersburg, VA), Bedford was the only intermediate stop between ROA and LYH.
I actually rode it from ROA to Catlettsberg and back when it was discontinued in 1979 (next to last 67 / last 66). Routing from Catlettsburg was C&O to Kenova, N&W to Petersberg, then up a I believe now gone long connector to the SCL and up the Silver corridor to WAS. An earlier version of this train went to Norfolk instead (N&W all the way, of course).
Even though it ran as an extension of 66/67, it was coach only - the sleeper (yes, 66/67 had a sleeper then) came off at WAS. I can't remember exactly but I think it only one or two coaches plus an AmCafe behind a single F40. Showing that there was value to this train in the mountains of WV, that next to last 67 made an unscheduled stop between Bluefield and Williamson (I think in Iaeger although it may have been Welch) to transport someone to the hospital in Williamson. Apparently, we could make it faster than an ambulance could.

Ironically, one of the biggest problems facing expanded service in Virginia is the *success* of the Lynchburg train. It looks quite likely that the train will make a profit by Amtrak's accounting standards, thus eliminating the need for a subsidy from the state. One could imagine this leading Virginia politicos to believe that this is the natural order of things; why wouldn't a passenger train make a profit.

Speaking of which, the state of Virginia is currently accepting public comments on a dedicated funding source for intercity passenger rail operating subsidies. From their press release:

Public comments are an important part of the study process, and DRPT is currently accepting public comments on the best way to fund intercity passenger rail operations at the state level. There are several options available for public comment as follows:

•Complete the online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7NGS3HL

•Send written comments to [email protected]

•Mail written comments to Public Information Office, DRPT, 600 E Main St, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219

These initial comments and survey forms will help guide development of the draft study document. All comments are due by July 2, 2010.

The current study schedule calls for the draft document to be available in fall 2010, at which time a second public comment period will be announced. SJ63 requires that the study be completed prior to the start of the 2011 General Assembly Session, and DRPT anticipates finalizing the study by the end of 2010.

While I am sure that they are more likely to consider the views of Virginia residents, there is no reason for out-of-staters not to provide comments (they ask for your zip code on the survey).

Station Aficionado wrote:

strench707 wrote:So if they started this service, what would be some towns they would stop at intermediately, if any? I'm sure every single little small town the tracks go through would lobby for a stop but they'd probably only stop where it makes economical sense.

Trusting that I'm following the correct line on Google Maps it goes through these towns that actually appear on the map:

Lynchburg, VA
Forest, VA
Goode, VA
Lowry, VA **For., Goo., and Low. all being pretty close together maybe an intermediate stop?
Bedford, VA **Looks like a decent sized town
Thaxton, VA
Montvale, VA **Thax. and Mont. are pretty small towns (probably worthless)
Blue Ridge, VA **Pretty worthless unless they wanted a stop in a park
Vinton, VA **Decently close to Roanoke but in a seemingly dense area maybe worthy of a more accessible stop.
Roanoke, VA **Looks like the Visitor Center would make sense as the stop since there's a building that could serve as a station too and there's still an island platform there. Also, past the station there looks to be ample space for putting in a stub track or two if they rip up some crappy parking lot.

So anyone's thoughts on which towns might be worth stopping at, being a Marylander I haven't heard of any of these towns besides Lynchburg and Roanoke. Also, if anyone knows what towns this train originally stopped in that would be awesome!

Davis

At just over 50 miles between Lynchburg and Roanoke, I would think there we no intermediate stops. (Note that Orange has wanted a Crescent or Cardinal stop between Culpeper & Charlottesville for years, but no dice.)

Bedford is a fair size town and is the location of the National D-Day Memorial, a possible destination. Bedford lost more young men in the D-Day invasion then any other town in the US- 18 men IIRC

Okay so maybe we're thinking the train will make a stop at Lynchurg, Bedford and Roanoke and thats it?

That seems about right based on the mileage and the sized towns it goes through.

Davis