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  • Increase in CSX Freight Traffic causing delays for VRE & MARC trains

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

Moderators: mtuandrew, therock, Robert Paniagua

 #1515410  by davinp
 
An increase in CSX freight trains operating in the Washington region has led to significant delays and worsening commutes for the thousands of passengers who ride commuter trains that share the same track, according to transit officials in Maryland and Virginia.

MARC and VRE say on-time performance has dropped dramatically this summer all thanks to CSX.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/tr ... 59f38578fc
 #1515516  by Backshophoss
 
EHH's legacy has now turned into an outright war on passenger trains across CSX.
With the lack of rested crews,the sell off of power,the Hedge funds tell the DS's to to now "run over" passenger service to keep their
$$$ flowing out of the RR's bank to their "off shore" accounts! :P :P :P
 #1515797  by zuckie13
 
The issue is that more track capacity is needed. CSX (and NS I suppose since they are half the VRE problem) are not going to add an additional track or two out of their own pocket. That's something that the states will have to fund if they really want to add any capacity.

Make it a deal like this: "We pay for it and get exclusive use of those new tracks from 6am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm on weekdays and some guaranteed use mid-day and on weekends. You maintain and operate them after we build it and get the extra capacity."
 #1515820  by mmi16
 
These lines were a part of my territory when I was working - FORTUNATELY I retired in December 2016 before the EHH putsch.

I have no fear that the Baltimore Division operating plan has been changed to the extent that MARC & VRE as well as Amtrak no longer exist from a Train Dispatchers planning process for his railroad. There is no doubt in my mind, that the 'plan' is that VRE, MARC and Amtrak trains will just follow whatever CSX trains happen to be on the railroad when the departure times for the scheduled trains happen.

One strike against VRE is that between Fredricksburg and AF the station locations of VRE require all trains to be operated on CSX #2 track as additional time consuming actions have to be taken if VRE is operated on #3 track - those actions are time consuming for both the VRE trains and for CSX protection of the moves.
 #1515834  by srepetsk
 
mtuandrew wrote: Fri Aug 02, 2019 6:47 pm mmi16: in reference to CSX track 2, what is AF?
Here's a diagram of the area in question, from the Long Bridge down to AF. AF is the southern end of where Virginia is planning to install a fourth track to make use of the Long Bridge replacement. The interlocking is where CSX heads south and NS splits off heading southwest.
 #1515887  by Jeff Smith
 
AF is where the Manassas line splits from the Fredericksburg line? And the Manassas line, is that the one the Crescent runs down, or is it the Cardinal?
 #1515900  by njtmnrrbuff
 
At AF Interlocking, the Manassas Line, used by both the Cardinal and Crescent, splits away from the Fredericksburg Line. About the Cardinal splitting away from the Crescent, that happens well past the VRE service area in a town called Orange. At Orange, the Cardinal diverges away from the Crescent route and takes what's called the Buckingham Branch which runs through places like Gordonsville. At Charlottesville, both the Crescent and Cardinal route cross each other on a diamond. Each route has their own platform.
 #1515928  by STrRedWolf
 
For the MARC, freight interference is also an issue... and more tracks is only one part of the solution.

Take any freight that's southbound from Martinsburg heading into Virginia. The most direct route involves crossing over at the following interlocks: QN, then F, then JD. Then it's clear of any MARC territory and heading straight to VRE territory. That's at least one blocking crossover...

Take the auto freight from Jessup... or anything from Leadenhall yard... or Bayview... or points north. You got a blocking crossover.

More track in general is nice, but you're going to need flyovers as well. Add that to the bill.