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VRE staff presented a detailed look at its new 2050 plan at the VRE board meeting this past week. Highlights include 116 total trains, new express, counter flow, and weekend service, and a fleet refresh (details on the vehicle type tbd). https://www.vre.org/about/board/board-agenda-minutes/2024/Marc...

The announcement of a tentative agreement to build a new arena for the Wizards and Capitals in Potomac Yard came with a statement that $200M in transportation investments would accompany the stadium and adjacent entertainment district. Since the PY metro station just opened, that got me thinking abo...

Another ALC-42 spotted in Lorton today. Are these becoming common place on the Auto Train?

Added core capacity and VA/MD connections without needing to traverse the CBD are long overdue for Metro. Ridership is still down from the mid 2010 peaks, but continues to rebound. The region really needs additional transportation options b/c traffic is now heavy from sun up to sun down. The map mak...

From talking with VPRA officials, no major water crossings (besides the Potomac) are included in Phase 1/2 of TRV. The thought is that 5 of the major water crossings between ALX and FBG will get their own double track passenger bridges, and two will get an additional single track bridge during Phase...

I saw 5 complete sets in the 30th street yard this weekend

Cross honoring tickets and timing schedules is better than what we have right now. However, I doubt we will see even 1 MARC train “running through” to Alexandria until the second Long Bridge and 4th track to AF are completed in 2030.

There is an ALC-42 parked in the Lorton Autotrain terminal currently. Does anyone know why that is?

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-agenda-minutes/2023/Febr...

Good luck getting people to enter/exit through the designated doors. People already try to get in the train before letting everyone off, and can’t even stand on the correct side of the escalator.

bostontrainguy wrote:This equipment isn't coming for a long time. No reason a sleeper (and even a baggage car) couldn't be added/removed in D.C. with the required engine change.

I wonder if leveraging the 1 or 2 pocket tracks on the Silver/Orange line would be an inexpensive alternatives to allow express trains to run? You could try the following schedule with 8min headways between regular trains, with express trains running every 16mins. I make the assumption that every st...

Progress? https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2022/11/14/new-commuter-train-rail-system.html Victor O. Garcia, director of public affairs for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which operates Tri-Rail, said vehicle testing on the tracks leading into MiamiCentral is schedu...

I can’t see it happening just because Metro can hardly manage its existing schedule and service (unless they bring back ATO). I do wish WMATA had a few more three track stations that would allow a little intermixing and passing, but at this point it’s too late.

In the DRPT monthly news letter, the state shared that they are rapidly advancing the NEPA process for a 4th track from Alexandria to Spotsylvania. This would build on the existing DC2RVA framework and mean a complete separation of passenger and freight trains in the next 10-15 years.