Revive the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD)?

[Jeff Smith]

OPINION: GGWash.org

A snowball's chance?

Is it time to bring back the W&OD as commuter rail?



Northern Virginia has grown rapidly in the last 50 years, and unlike many other regions that have seen substantial growth such as Charlotte or Atlanta, it has built a strong public transportation system. This system has functioned well for those living in the eastern part of the region, and has recently expanded westward. But, there’s still room for improvement. Leesburg—Loudoun County’s most densely populated city and the county seat—has remained disconnected from the network. As WMATA and other regional transportation agencies look at ambitious expansion plans, it is time to look for affordable options that connect densely-populated areas at a low cost.

To remedy western Loudoun’s disconnection from transit, and provide a faster, “express” commuter rail option for people across the region, I propose rebuilding the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) as a commuter railroad connecting either Leesburg or Purcellville to the East Falls Church Metro station, where riders could continue towards the region’s core.
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[STrRedWolf]

It's currently a rail trail. You'll have to lay down fresh track and rebuild a bridge or two. Snowball's chance, definitely.

[scratchyX1]

It's currently a rail trail. You'll have to lay down fresh track and rebuild a bridge or two. Snowball's chance, definitely.

That said, if someone is able to link it with real estate, and raise the money, it would likely get used alot.
Especially with a phase two of a single elevated track along 4 mile run to either potomac yard or King street, to connect with expanded VRE/MRA/amtrak.

[STrRedWolf]

It's currently a rail trail. You'll have to lay down fresh track and rebuild a bridge or two. Snowball's chance, definitely.

That said, if someone is able to link it with real estate, and raise the money, it would likely get used alot.
Especially with a phase two of a single elevated track along 4 mile run to either potomac yard or King street, to connect with expanded VRE/MRA/amtrak.

I was thinking about that too, but you have to deal with folks who have only known the rail line as a rail trail and use it quite often. So it's... not going to be easy. If it can be pulled off, sure.

[RandallW]

If you look at pictures of Herndon now vs when the railroad was built, the primary road through Herndon didn't exist as a single road when the W&OD existed, and there are all sorts of elevation changes taking the trail over or under major roads in Reston that aren't going to have traffic reduced b/c of a commuter train that gets in the way of getting to the Silver Line Metro. I seriously think there really isn't any property adjacent to the trail east of the quarry in Loudon County that isn't already built up as...mostly single occupancy homes or commercial/industrial estates, and what isn't built up as such are flood plain wetlands.

Also missing is that trail exists as a park b/c Dominion Energy saves money by not owning it outright as a ROW for a high tension power line.

I also find it amusing that the author of that article calls out the high price of a new Metro line from West Falls Church to MD, while proposing the eastern terminus of the railroad should be East Falls Church.

A far better, and less disruptive to the existing communities along that proposed route would be extending the Silver Line to Leesburg, and running bus services to all the communities that would still need to drive to or past the line west of Leesburg.

(Says someone who cycles along the trail to the Metro.)