SEHSR - DCA Connection?

As some know, the VRE and Amtrak currently run south of DC to Alexandria, VA via CSX tracks through Crystal City and Arlington. I think these were the former pennsy tracks to Potomac Yards, am I correct?

With air-rail connectivity a top concern of many HSR advocates, I am curious to see why a station stop at Crystal City-Reagan National has never been proposed. For the surrounding population, transit-supportive land use, wide ROW, and direct adjacency to DCA, this seems like a logical place to put an airport station. This could replace the current VRE Crystal City stop and serve Amtrak, VRE, and future high speed services. Airports in Baltimore, Newark, and soon-to-be Providence are all tied into the NE Corridor, why shouldn't DCA? Upon reviewing the Tier I EIS, Washington, DC to Charlotte, NC from the SEHSR Corridor website, it seems the study has all but left this idea out of the plan.

It seems there is adequate space for a station as well. A pedestrian bridge from the airport's garage and Crystal City Square Arcade would provide the necessary connections for a large, overhead terminal.

Are there any logistical problems with Amtrak and/or CSX for this idea to work? I'm thinking about sending this little idea to the Virginia DOT. I've also had similar ideas for the trackage near Richmond, VA's airport.

Here’s the location I thought would be ideal for the track characteristics: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=38.852977 ... 04801&z=18

Reagan National Airport has a well placed Washington Metro stop right across from the terminal building. Not difficult to take the Metro from either Union Station in DC or the Amtrak/VRE station in Alexandria to National Airport. A connection from a station on the CSX line would have to cross GW Parkway and the access roads and parking garages to get to the main terminal entrances. Since the Blue line crosses the CSX line near there, a inter-modal station could likely be built that would either connect to the Metro Crystal City station for a 1 stop ride to National Airport or a Airtrain/monorail type line would run to the airport terminal. Wouldn't be surprised if it has been looked at. But, with the existing Metro service to National airport, probably impossible to justify from a cost viewpoint.

If you are coming from the south on Amtrak or VRE, you can get off at the Alexandria station and take the Metro with only 1 stop right to National airport. There are plans to improve the access between the Alexandria Amtrak and King St Metro stations by building a direct tunnel between the two with elevators going up to the Alexandria Union station platforms. Came across this application while searching the VA DRPT website for recent HSIPR applications: http://www.drpt.virginia.gov/projects/f ... Tunnel.pdf.

Coming from the north on Amtrak (or MARC), with the long delay at Union station to switch from electric to diesel engines, faster to get off and take the Metro to National Airport. Maybe someday if there is a separate true electrified HSR line with 2 or more tracks used almost entirely for passenger trains running to Richmond from DC that uses the CSX ROW down to Woodbridge (and then some TBD route from there that may make use of the I-95 ROW), a new intermodel station stop near Reagan National Airport might make some sense, although still expensive for a modest gain in ease of access.

Thanks for the link. That’s great news for a direct ped connection between King Street and the Amtrak station! As I witnessed on my trip from ALX-NPN Friday, the King Street underpass is not exactly the most inviting place since the darkened sidewalk usually reeks of urine and other foul odors.

Hopefully, if and when electrification of the SEHSR does occur (2030 or beyond?), a station at DCA should be considered. I guess I'm only dreaming of that one-set ride between DCA-Baltimore, DC, Richmond, Newport News, ect. I see Virginia's southern communities benefitting tremendously from something like this. Although DCA is very well connected to the NEC and metropolitan area via Metro, I've read that any required transfers cut ridership between two destinations by 50%. (http://www.publictransit.us/ptlibrary/TRB1221.htm). Maybe this is not the case in Washington. I need to find harder numbers to back this up.