Franconia-Springfield?

[johnny.menhennet]

I was looking at some timetables, and just realized for the first time that Franconia-Springfield is not a station for Regionals anymore. I checked on Google Maps (which 8-pixeled for April Fools Day!) and I can see that the platform on the north side is incredibly short. Why was it exactly that Amtrak pulles out of this station?

 

[jis]

I was looking at some timetables, and just realized for the first time that Franconia-Springfield is not a station for Regionals anymore. I checked on Google Maps (which 8-pixeled for April Fools Day!) and I can see that the platform on the north side is incredibly short. Why was it exactly that Amtrak pulles out of this station?

Because anyone that absolutely positively must go to Franconia can get off at Alexandria and take the Metro. Amtrak is supposed to be providing express intercity service, not local commuter service.

 

[RampWidget]

I was looking at some timetables, and just realized for the first time that Franconia-Springfield is not a station for Regionals anymore. I checked on Google Maps (which 8-pixeled for April Fools Day!) and I can see that the platform on the north side is incredibly short. Why was it exactly that Amtrak pulles out of this station?

Because anyone that absolutely positively must go to Franconia can get off at Alexandria and take the Metro. Amtrak is supposed to be providing express intercity service, not local commuter service.

Franconia is also a VRE (Virginia Railway Express) commuter train stop. It was not an intercity stop for Amtrak or RF&P trains prior to Metro/VRE.

 

[afigg]

I was looking at some timetables, and just realized for the first time that Franconia-Springfield is not a station for Regionals anymore. I checked on Google Maps (which 8-pixeled for April Fools Day!) and I can see that the platform on the north side is incredibly short. Why was it exactly that Amtrak pulles out of this station?

Looking up the Amtrak Virginia state fact sheets I have, Amtrak ended service to Franconia-Springfield on May 9, 2010. In the last complete fiscal year of service to F-S, in FY2009 only 2,674 passengers got on or off there. In a Fall 08 /Winter 09 system timetable I looked at, only Regionals 66 and 67 stopped at F-S. I would expect the Regionals used the longer VRE platform on the south side of the tracks, not the short north side which may not even be a platform.

The station is only 6 miles from Alexandria and as jis posted, it is a Metro stop and easy connection from Alexandria. Surprised that Amtrak stopped there, but they were getting some traffic. But with the fewest passengers of any VA station, makes sense to drop it as a stop. Stopping there could also have been complicating VRE and CSX schedules. The DC region has four stations that match up with stations on the DC Metro system: Alexandria, Union Station, New Carrollton, Rockville. That is good coverage for an intercity rail system.

 

[RampWidget]

Afigg, that's a good point (about schedule interference) that I forgot. Almost certainly Amtrak, VRE, and CSX have to negotiate with each other to coordinate schedules on that territory (CSX's RF&P Subdivision) and even one additional station stop can throw off schedules on a congested piece of RR.

 

[Michael061282]

Also, remember, at the time, Amtrak and VRE were having their little spat about management. I have no idea if that was a direct reason for dropping F-S or not, but it could have easily had something to do with it. Back when it was served by more then 66/67, I took Amtrak there a few times, then jumped on the Metro to go to baseball and soccer games at RFK.. F-S was very handy for that, since you didnt have to leave the station and walk around the block to get to DC Metro, like you have to do in Alexandria.

 

[afigg]

Also, remember, at the time, Amtrak and VRE were having their little spat about management. I have no idea if that was a direct reason for dropping F-S or not, but it could have easily had something to do with it. Back when it was served by more then 66/67, I took Amtrak there a few times, then jumped on the Metro to go to baseball and soccer games at RFK.. F-S was very handy for that, since you didnt have to leave the station and walk around the block to get to DC Metro, like you have to do in Alexandria.

Yes, getting from the Amtrak/VRE station to the DC Metro station at Alexandria is not that easy. A couple of years ago, I saw a rough draft proposal to build a pedestrian tunnel under the CSX tracks between the Metro and Amtrak/VRE station. Did a google search to see what came of it.

Turns out that the plans for the pedestrian tunnel are further along and that the project was recently fully funded with a $7.4 million FHWA grant. Did not know that. VRE is the lead agency. This 9 page PDF document from Metro has a good overview of the tunnel plans. The 14' wide tunnel will go from the south mezzanine of the King Street Metro station under the CSX tracks with elevators leading to the Alexandria station platforms through the other side. It will also allow direct pedestrian and bike access to the King Street Metro station from north of the tracks.

The tunnel and elevators will provide direct connections between the Alexandria train and King Street Metro stations. I wonder if the pending Norfolk service and growth of Amtrak service in Virginia has pushed the plans for a tunnel along. It will allow those coming from Norfolk (and Newport News, Charlottesville, Richmond) to get off at Alexandria, take a quick switch over to the King Street Metro station and head to the Pentagon, Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza or where ever they can get to more quickly than stating on to Union Station. Worthy project.

 

[fairviewroad]

Not faulting the OP for not doing a search (and I'm sure all of us are guilty of starting a thread about something that's already been discussed) but it's interesting that Google

turned up a previous thread on this board on this very same topic from 18 months ago, with virtually the exact same points being made:

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/34064-franconia-springfield-va/