Virginia Rail Expansion?

[BerkeleyBear]

There's an interesting article about possible expansion of VRE to Charlottesville here. The Charlottesville to DC proposal looks viable to me. The Bristol to Richmond route, although perhaps a noble idea, will struggle to get passengers, I think.

 

[capltd29]

i'd like to see Richmond to C'ville, Amtrak RAIL service, curently you gotta either take a whole day to go to DC and connect or you gotta get on a friggin' bus. Let's brudge the gap!

JON

 

[Tanner929]

I've taken Amtrak from CT to Richmond. The trip from Washington to Richmond can be as long as New York to Washington if there is a problem on the frieght tracks. I think that whole area needs and expanded commuter railline as the Washington suberbs expand. But still they build more highways.

By the way has the remodeled downtown Richmond Train Station reopened?

 

[AlanB]

CSX, the owner of the tracks south of DC, is currently expanding capacity on the line between DC & Richmond. A few projects have already been completed, a few are currently under construction, and a few more will occur in the future.

Once they are done, service will improve some. However to my knowledge none of the current improvements underway will permit running faster than 79 MPH, so the travel times won't decrease that much. But delays due to freight interference should decrease considerably.

As for the downtown Richmond station, it did reopen about 2 years ago. Then it was closed last year due to severe flooding in the area. I don't recall if the damage has been repaired enough for the station to reopen once again.

 

[battalion51]

One of the major projects is the new bridge at Quantico that will make the entire route double track at minimum.

 

[Guest_capltd29]

The Main Street Station did sustain flood damage from Trop. Storm Gaston, but not much, and it is back in service, and i went to baltimore leaving from it a few weeks ago.

Jon