New VRE station in Crystal City clears procedural hurdle

Plans by Virginia Railway Express (VRE) to construct a new passenger station in Crystal City have cleared another hurdle, as the Federal Transit Administration has concluded that the project will not violate the National Historic Preservation Act.

https://www.insidenova.com/news/transpo ... bcb6d.html

Then the bridge to the airport, https://www.arlnow.com/2021/03/15/propo ... ext-stage/

The Amtrak Northeast Regional extending to Christiansburg/ Va. Tech should be interesting since VT is part of Amazon-HQ2 in Crystal City / National Landing.

New update from VRE on the new CC station. It looks like construction will kick off August 2023 and last until November 2025. The project is split into 2 phases. Phase 1 focuses on aligning existing tracks, and building the North entrance to the station, along with the VRE station platform and future track #3. Phase 2 focuses on the South entrance, CC2DCA pedestrian bridge, and southern high level Amtrak Platform + gauntlet track.

The Amtrak station was rumored but never confirmed until now. I assume only select regional trains following the "local" schedule pattern (currently 86 and 174 northbound and 153 and 93 southbound) will make stops at the CC Amtrak station. With two dedicated passenger tracks and a denser stop schedule, I'd love to see wires up between WAS and ALX.

Source: https://www.vre.org/about/board/board-a ... ardv2-pdf/

KTHW wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:09 am New update from VRE on the new CC station. It looks like construction will kick off August 2023 and last until November 2025. The project is split into 2 phases. Phase 1 focuses on aligning existing tracks, and building the North entrance to the station, along with the VRE station platform and future track #3. Phase 2 focuses on the South entrance, CC2DCA pedestrian bridge, and southern high level Amtrak Platform + gauntlet track.

The Amtrak station was rumored but never confirmed until now. I assume only select regional trains following the "local" schedule pattern (currently 86 and 174 northbound and 153 and 93 southbound) will make stops at the CC Amtrak station. With two dedicated passenger tracks and a denser stop schedule, I'd love to see wires up between WAS and ALX.

Source: https://www.vre.org/about/board/board-a ... ardv2-pdf/

Everything old is new again!

Is there enough clearance on the RF&P formation through Crystal City and up to Long Bridge to rebuild the catenary poles and other infrastructure? Is there any room anywhere near the Alexandria CSX yard (that CSX would actually lease/sell to Amtrak for any sum) for a switching station to stabilize the traction feeds? The plans for Ivy City include some open spaces for an additional traction transformer and additional catenary breakers and switches, but I suspect that all of Union Switching would need to be replaced and the First Street Tunnel would need major work to increase clearances for both catenary wire and the additional feeders.

I don't recall any serious discussions about the long-proposed MARC run-through being done so with ACS-64s, and I suspect that the time taken to cut off and run around a consist west of ALX would take up a lot of the advantages of not doing the same at WAS.

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 6:32 pm I don't recall any serious discussions about the long-proposed MARC run-through being done so with ACS-64s, and I suspect that the time taken to cut off and run around a consist west of ALX would take up a lot of the advantages of not doing the same at WAS.

All MARC trains operate with engine on the north end of the train and a cab car on the south end, so there wouldn't be any run arounds.

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 6:32 pm

KTHW wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:09 am New update from VRE on the new CC station. It looks like construction will kick off August 2023 and last until November 2025. The project is split into 2 phases. Phase 1 focuses on aligning existing tracks, and building the North entrance to the station, along with the VRE station platform and future track #3. Phase 2 focuses on the South entrance, CC2DCA pedestrian bridge, and southern high level Amtrak Platform + gauntlet track.

The Amtrak station was rumored but never confirmed until now. I assume only select regional trains following the "local" schedule pattern (currently 86 and 174 northbound and 153 and 93 southbound) will make stops at the CC Amtrak station. With two dedicated passenger tracks and a denser stop schedule, I'd love to see wires up between WAS and ALX.

Source: https://www.vre.org/about/board/board-a ... ardv2-pdf/

Everything old is new again!

Is there enough clearance on the RF&P formation through Crystal City and up to Long Bridge to rebuild the catenary poles and other infrastructure? Is there any room anywhere near the Alexandria CSX yard (that CSX would actually lease/sell to Amtrak for any sum) for a switching station to stabilize the traction feeds? The plans for Ivy City include some open spaces for an additional traction transformer and additional catenary breakers and switches, but I suspect that all of Union Switching would need to be replaced and the First Street Tunnel would need major work to increase clearances for both catenary wire and the additional feeders.

I don't recall any serious discussions about the long-proposed MARC run-through being done so with ACS-64s, and I suspect that the time taken to cut off and run around a consist west of ALX would take up a lot of the advantages of not doing the same at WAS.

I don't think there is clearance in first street tunnel, for cat, so acs64 won't be used there.. Unless they are hooked to a battery car.

The PRR electrification extended to Potomac Yard in Alexandria until the 1980s, but I don't if that was only through the Virginia Ave Tunnel in DC, or if it was also through the First Street Tunnel.

RandallW wrote: ↑Thu May 12, 2022 4:47 am The PRR electrification extended to Potomac Yard in Alexandria until the 1980s, but I don't if that was only through the Virginia Ave Tunnel in DC, or if it was also through the First Street Tunnel.

Electrification was freight only, and through Virginia Avenue tunnel. First Street can't clear double decker cars, and have wire. It cannot clear space under, because of metro rail, and can't really make space on top.
And, as has been noted elsewhere, would not even be built with today's security requirements.

scratchyX1
Electrification was freight only, and through Virginia Avenue tunnel. First Street can't clear double decker cars, and have wire. It cannot clear space under, because of metro rail, and can't really make space on top.
And, as has been noted elsewhere, would not even be built with today's security requirements.

The bottom of the foundations under the walls in the First Street Tunnel are at least 4' below the top of the rail. The top of the segmented steel lined Metrorail tunnels are at minimum 10' below the bottom of the foundations of the First Street Tunnel.

I will also note that when the 63rd Street Crosstown line was built back in the 1970s the top of tunnels were incorporated into the invert under the tracks leading into Grand Central Terminal. The distance between the top of the rails leading into Grand Central Terminal to the top of the inside of the 63rd Street Crosstown tunnel is less then 5'.

Sand Box John wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 10:23 am scratchyX1
Electrification was freight only, and through Virginia Avenue tunnel. First Street can't clear double decker cars, and have wire. It cannot clear space under, because of metro rail, and can't really make space on top.
And, as has been noted elsewhere, would not even be built with today's security requirements.

The bottom of the foundations under the walls in the First Street Tunnel are at least 4' below the top of the rail. The top of the segmented steel lined Metrorail tunnels are at minimum 10' below the bottom of the foundations of the First Street Tunnel.

I will also note that when the 63rd Street Crosstown line was built back in the 1970s the top of tunnels were incorporated into the invert under the tracks leading into Grand Central Terminal. The distance between the top of the rails leading into Grand Central Terminal to the top of the inside of the 63rd Street Crosstown tunnel is less then 5'.

Oh, I had read that it was 10 inches, not feet minimum clearance.
Good thing I didn't write plans for a stonehenge monument on a napkin.
Ok, so maybe, it would be possible. But would mean closing the tunnel, and making passengers use metro as a shuttle. Not a good idea, in it's current state.

VRE and Amtrak are advancing the design for Phase II of the new Crystal City station, which includes a dedicated 850 foot high level island platform for Amtrak. VRE is building a conjoining 850 foot low level platform as part of Phase I.

https://www.vre.org/about/board/board-a ... mtrak-pdf/