Train 67 Delay... thanks VRE :-(

I am on 67 this morning... I guess because of a VRE train issue we have been stuck more than an hour... I would have thought there is more than one track around Loraton VA?

theozno wrote:I am on 67 this morning... I guess because of a VRE train issue we have been stuck more than an hour... I would have thought there is more than one track around Loraton VA?

Most of the old RF&P is double track AFAIK. The problem is the lack of switches I think. Even if there was a switch where you are, I think you would have to stay on that track for quite a bit before being able to switch back over. That's not something CSX likes. Especially during the morning when they have to share with with a bunch of VREs and Amtraks heading into DC.

well were up to 75 min same spot. saw 308 pass heading north around 8:55.. were still sitting here since 7:50 now 9:08...
* update 310 just passed at 9:09.. we are now on the move at 9:10 finally

Is this a probelm being caused by VRE or CSX? I dont think VRE owns any tracks although it could be that a VRE train is broken down but in any case theres always the possibility to reverse the train and run the train up the other track. There may be way to many freights on the line. Im not to familiar with the line.

VRE train 306 disabled with brake problems, per the VRE website.

wouldn;t there be a way around it?
what I am guessing is they had us hold up thinking the problem would have been fixed right away... were running a good 75min late into Richmond.. one thing I did want to mention finally no more snow out there!!!

maybe the train is blocking the interlocking.

hi55us wrote:maybe the train is blocking the interlocking.

ah ha I didn;t think of that one..
I hope someone from the inside might be able to answer. we got held up an extra 10 min at staples mill because of 94 but at least thats not too bad..

VRE service was implemented on the cheap to a certain extent, so it is not very resilient when things go wrong. There are only platforms on one side of the right-of-way at Woodbridge, Rippon, and Lorton, which dramatically reduces the flexibility of operations during rush hour. Add to that, the brake problem apparently occurred at Woodbridge station and they brought up train 308 to take on the passengers (blocking the second main line), it isn't surprising that you were stuck for 90 minutes. In general, my sense is that CSX gives VRE priority over Amtrak on this route.

The good news is that a second platform at Woodbridge is "shovel-ready", so it wouldn't surprise me to see it funded through the stimulus package (probably transit formula money rather than intercity rail).

theozno wrote:well were up to 75 min same spot. saw 308 pass heading north around 8:55.. were still sitting here since 7:50 now 9:08...
* update 310 just passed at 9:09.. we are now on the move at 9:10 finally

An hour and 20 minutes, I thought it would be worse. 3 and a half years ago I was on a southbound Silver Star and we got stopped somewhere in the Fredericksburg area for about 3 hours because a CSX train broke down. Granted that happened about mid to late afternoon, so most VREs were heading south, not north.

An hour and 20 minutes, I thought it would be worse. 3 and a half years ago I was on a southbound Silver Star and we got stopped somewhere in the Fredericksburg area for about 3 hours because a CSX train broke down. Granted that happened about mid to late afternoon, so most VREs were heading south, not north.

Actually when I was on 66 heading north back in october we got stuck for just about 2-3 hours north or willamsburg due to a disabled CSX train (you would think they would put a 2nd enginge on freight trains).. I was going to try to transfer to 198 ( I can catch the last train from Grand Central to old Greenwich that way. That did not happen that night. to make things even worse... we left NY on time got to stamford 2 hours late 6am arrival. they had to tow us in Queens up to the New Rochelle interlocking where Metro North takes over. Last but not least a few hours later when I took the Vermonter From Stamford to White River Jct Vt we got stuck for 4 hours just north of Amhearst station. Its still better than driving from Vermont to Virginia Beach! plus I used only 3000 AGR points for this whole trip because its all part of the northeast corridor...