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Virginia Railway Express

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Virginia Railway Express
A VRE train at Manassas station
A VRE train atManassas station
Overview
OwnerNVTCandPRTC
LocaleNorthern Virginia,U.S.
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines2
Number of stations19 year-round, 1 seasonal, 1 planned
Daily ridership6,700 (weekdays, Q2 2024)[1]
Annual ridership1,537,000 (2023)[2]
Websitevre.org
Operation
Began operationJune 22, 1992
Operator(s)Keolis(under contract)
Reporting marksVREX
Technical
System length90 mi (145 km)
Track gauge4 ft8+1⁄2in(1,435 mm)standard gauge
System map
Map
Legend
MARC
Amtrak
 Union StationDC StreetcarAmtrak
First Street Tunnel
 L'Enfant
Long Bridgeover
Potomac River
Washington, D.C.
Virginia
 Crystal City
AlexandriaAmtrak
Backlick Road
Franconia–Springfield
Rolling Road
Lorton
Northeast Regional
 Burke Centre
Woodbridge
Northeast Regional
(events only)
Clifton
Rippon
Manassas Park
Potomac Shores(planned)
Amtrak
 Manassas
Quantico
Amtrak
Broad Run
Brooke
Amtrak
Leeland Road
Manassas Line
Fredericksburg
Amtrak
 Spotsylvania
Amtrak
 Fredericksburg Line
Key
 Manassas Line
Fredericksburg Line
Both services
Handicapped/disabled accessAll stations are accessible
This diagram:

Virginia Railway Express(VRE) (reporting markVREX) is acommuter railservice that connects outlying small cities ofNorthern VirginiatoWashington Union StationinWashington, D.C.It operates two lines which run during weekdayrush houronly: theFredericksburg LinefromSpotsylvania, Virginia,and theManassas LinefromBroad Run stationinBristow, Virginia.In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,537,000, or about 6,700 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

Service to Manassas began on June 22, 1992; the Fredericksburg service started on July 20, 1992.[3]

VRE is owned by theNorthern Virginia Transportation Commission(NVTC) and thePotomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission(PRTC). The NVTC and PRTC are governmental entities that were created by theCommonwealth of Virginia.Local governments (such as counties and cities) within each commission's geographic area are members of each commission. The service will undergo expansion as the result of a December 19, 2019 deal brokered between former Virginia governorRalph Northamand rail companyCSX Transportation.[4]

History

[edit]
A Virginia Railway Express train going throughCrystal Cityin 1999

Discussions about commuter rail service in Northern Virginia had occurred as early as 1964 at theNorthern Virginia Transportation Commission,but died in the face of opposition by the freight railroads whose tracks offered ready access to core employment areas. TheMetropolitan Washington Council of Governmentseventually commissioned a regional feasibility study by R.L. Banks and Associates, Inc., and planning began in earnest for VRE in 1984.[5]In the meantime,Washington Metroextended its service to much of the inner ring of Northern Virginia, including the independent cities ofAlexandria,FairfaxandFalls ChurchandArlingtonandFairfaxcounties, which are members of the NVTC.

By 1986, it became apparent thatPrince WilliamandStaffordcounties and the cities of Manassas andManassas Parkcould not reach agreement on how to support VRE by joining NVTC, so thePotomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commissionwas created for them. Legislation established a 2% motor fuels tax to support VRE expenses and other transportation investments.

By 1988, NVTC and PRTC established a VRE Operations Board, consisting of three voting members plus alternates from each of the two commissions, plus a voting representative of the Commonwealth of Virginia (currently a representative of the Director of theVirginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation). The following year, the jurisdictions participating in the VRE project agreed to fund it according to a formula that weighted ridership by jurisdiction of residence with a factor of 90% and population with a factor of 10%. Arlington and Alexandria agreed to contribute to the project and have paid each year approximately what their formula share would be. The cities of Fredericksburg and Manassas Park joined PRTC in 1990 and signed the VRE Master Agreement and became participating jurisdictions in 1992.[5]

Spotsylvania County joined in February 2010 to allow construction ofSpotsylvania station,which opened in November 2015.[6][7]

Operations

[edit]
A VRE train crossing thePotomac Riverin 2013

Rail service operates Monday through Friday during rush hour in the peak direction, with trains traveling toward Washington in the morning and toward either Manassas or Fredericksburg in the afternoon. Service is suspended or reduced on some holidays.[8]

Through a cross-honoring agreement, VRE and theMARC Trainallow passengers to transfer to trains on the other system that are going in the opposite direction of the rush-hour commuters.[9]

VRE operates on lines owned and maintained byAmtrak,Norfolk Southern,andCSX Transportation.In December 2019, the state of Virginia agreed to purchase large portions of the right-of-way and track on the CSX line, as well as theLong Bridgeinto the District of Columbia. The state will add parallel tracks and make other improvements for increased service on the VRE.[10]Most of the Fredericksburg Line is on CSX tracks, while the portion of the Manassas Line west of Alexandria is mostly on Norfolk Southern tracks.Washington Union Stationin Washington, D.C., the northern terminus for most VRE trains, is owned and operated by Amtrak, including the station tracks.

VRE's trains were initially run by Amtrak. On November 5, 2009, VRE awarded a five-year, $85 million operating and maintenance contract toKeolis.[11][12]The change in operations took place on July 12, 2010, two weeks later than planned, to allow Keolis employees to learn how to run VRE trains.[13]

Ridership on VRE increased an average of 13% each year from 2000 to 2005, but fell 2% in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005. VRE said passengers affected by track maintenance and heat restrictions were taking other forms of transportation.[14]The trend reversed in the summer of 2007, with ridership up nearly 2% in June and 4% in July compared with the corresponding months in 2006.[15]As of October 2016, VRE transports an average of 19,400 passengers per day.[16]

In 2015, VRE extended its contract with Keolis for five years, with an additional option for another five-year extension in 2020.[17]That option was exercised in 2020, so Keolis will continue to provide operational and maintenance services through June 2025.[18]

Starting in 2015, VRE began a study of extending service toHaymarketvia a short branch line from the Manassas Line, but found that ridership would not sufficiently increase to justify the estimated $660 million cost and ended further consideration of the line.[19]

Lines and stations

[edit]

VRE's fares are based on distance, with the 19 stations grouped into zones. The two lines diverge atAlexandria Union StationinAlexandria.

Manassas Line

[edit]
Main article:Manassas Line

The Manassas Line runs east–west along trackage owned by Norfolk Southern. Amtrak'sCrescentandCardinal,as well asNortheast Regionaltrains bound forRoanoke,also use this line. VRE studied an extension of the Manassas Line west to the communities ofGainesvilleandHaymarket,but chose instead to pursue added service on the existing line to Broad Run.[19]

A reverse-peak VRE train toWashington, D.C.
Miles (km) Fare Zone State Location Station Daily boardings (2012)[20] Connections
0 (0) 1 DC Washington Washington Union Station 1,135 Washington Metro,MARC,Amtrak
1.8 (2.9) L'Enfant 2,050 Washington Metro
4.3 (6.9) 2 VA Crystal City Crystal City 870 Washington Metro,Metroway
8.3 (13.4) Alexandria Alexandria Union Station 425 Washington Metro,Amtrak
15.1 (24.3) 3 Springfield Backlick Road 170
19.3 (31.1) 4 Burke Rolling Road 395
21.6 (34.8) Burke Centre Burke Centre 920 Amtrak
26.8 (43.1) Clifton Clifton 880 Special events only
30.6 (49.2) 6 Manassas Park Manassas Park 880
32.7 (52.6) Manassas Manassas 880 Amtrak
35.9 (57.8) Bristow Broad Run 1290

Fredericksburg Line

[edit]
Main article:Fredericksburg Line

The Fredericksburg Line runs north–south along trackage that was once part of theRichmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroadand is now part of CSX. Amtrak service toRichmond, Virginia,and points south (theSilver Service,Palmetto,Carolinian,andNortheast Regionalruns toHampton Roads) also uses this line. An extension to Spotsylvania opened in November 2015.[21]

Miles (km) Fare Zone State Location Station Daily boardings (2012)[20] Connections
0 (0) 1 DC Washington, D.C. Washington Union Station 930 Washington Metro,MARC,Amtrak
1.8 (2.9) L'Enfant 1,675 Washington Metro
4.3 (6.9) 2 VA Crystal City Crystal City 930 Washington Metro,Metroway
8.3 (13.4) Alexandria Alexandria Union Station 630 Washington Metro,Amtrak
15.7 (25.3) 3 Springfield Franconia–Springfield 290 Washington Metro
20.2 (32.5) 4 Lorton Lorton 510
24.6 (39.6) 5 Woodbridge Woodbridge 455 Amtrak
27.9 (44.9) Featherstone Rippon 545
30.6 mi (49.2 km) VA Dumfries Potomac Shores(under development)
34.8 (56.0) 6 VA Quantico Quantico 540 Amtrak
45.7 (73.5) 8 Brooke Brooke 630
50.2 (80.8) Leeland Leeland Road 1100
54.2 (87.2) 9 Fredericksburg Fredericksburg 1770 Amtrak
60.3 (97.0) Olive Spotsylvania Opened in 2015

Rolling stock

[edit]

Virginia Railway Express commenced operations in 1992 with tenEMD RP39-2Cdiesel locomotives, 38Mafersa coaches,and 21 remanufacturedBudd Rail Diesel Carsfrom theMBTA.Morrison-Knudsenrebuilt the locomotives fromEMD GP40sat a total cost of $5.9 million. Mafersa built the coaches new at $24.7 million, or $600,000–$700,000 per car.[22][23]During Summer 1998, SEPTA leased some VRE Boisie Budds for the Regional Rail services. VRE sold 33 of the Mafersa coaches to theConnecticut Department of Transportationin 2004 for itsShore Line Eastservice.[24]QIT-Fer et Titane,aQuebecmining company, purchased the remaining five cars in 2008.[5]

VRE operated 13Kawasakibi-level carsbetween 1999 and 2008, after which they were sold toMARC(these cars were originally procured as an option on MARC's larger order).[5][25][26]Starting in 2001, VRE also operated a number of second-handPullman-Standardgallery carsfromMetrainChicago.[27]These were all replaced by newSumitomo/Nippon Sharyogallery carsfrom 2006 to 2017 as some cars returned toMetraand others went to theNorth Carolina Transportation MuseuminSpencer, North Carolina.[25][28]

Trains currently comprise one and on some occasions two MPI MP36PH-3C locomotives that pull their fleet of Sumitomo/Nippon Sharyo gallery cars. As of 2018, train lengths usually range from at least four cars to a maximum of eight cars.[28]

Locomotive fleet

[edit]
Numbers Status Model Notes Photo
V1–V10[29] retired EMD RP39-2C Rebuilt from original units byMorrison-Knudsen.All sold to other operators.[29]Lack the flared radiators of VRE's GP40s.
V20–V21[29] EMD RP40-2C Rebuilt from original units byMorrison-Knudsen.V20 sold toRoyal Gorge Route Railroadand renumbered 728. V21 sold to theUS Army.[29]
V22–V24[29] EMD GP40H-2 V22 and V24 sold to US Army. V23 sold to other another operator.
V30–V36[29] EMD F40PH-2 All were former Amtrak units.

V30 owned by Amtrak(AMTK 403). When lease was up, it was returned to Amtrak and received its original number. V31 sold to another operator. V32 sold to Metra renumbered 217. V33 sold toAMTand then LTEX renumbered 330. V34-V36 sold to LTEX and V35 displayed at theNorth Carolina Transportation MuseuminSpencer, North Carolina.[28]

V50–V69[28] active MPI MP36PH-3C Total order of 20.[30][31]The first unit was delivered in June 2010, entered service in August 2010, and all units are currently in service. These are the first new locomotives that VRE purchased. Going to be overhauled within the next 5 years.[32]

VRE also operated a pair ofEMD F59PHIlocomotives and 18 high capacityBombardierBiLevel carsleased fromSound Transitfrom 2002 to 2008; they have been returned toSounderand replaced by locomotives V50–V69 and theSumitomobi-level cars.[29][33]

Coach fleet

[edit]
Numbers Years Built Status Builder Model Seats
405, 408, 412, 413, 415*[28] 1956 retired Pullman Company Gallery I coach 123
421-430*[28] 1956 Gallery II coach 123
431-458*[28] 1960-66 Gallery III coach 123
710–730*[28] 2006–08 active Sumitomo / Nippon Sharyo Gallery IV cab car 123
800–819*, 850–869, 870–879[28] 2007–09 Gallery IV trailer car 132* / 144
820–848*†[28] 2014 Gallery IV trailer car 132

* with restroom

† Eight cars ordered in February 2012 with options for 42 more.[32]As of 2018, 21 further cars had been procured from these options.[28]

Safety and accidents

[edit]
The VRE derailment on January 5, 2006

On January 5, 2006, at 6:45 am, Fredericksburg line train No. 304 bound forWashington, D.C.,derailed atPossum Point,just north ofQuantico.Four people, including the assistant conductor, suffered minor injuries. TheNational Transportation Safety Boarddetermined that the derailment was intimately related toCSX's maintenance practices: a switch point had been repeatedly identified as deteriorating, but CSX failed to replace it. Eventually, the excessively worn and chipped point caused the lead truck of a passenger car to derail—the fourth car on train 304.[34]

On October 3, 2012,Virginia Governor Bob McDonnelllaunched a review of "multiple internal control issues", including reports of corruption and favoritism, that "call into question the management of the Virginia Railway Express". For example, VRE managers disregarded warnings by a former employee, later borne out, that trains would hit the new Broad Run platform.[35]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024"(PDF).American Public Transportation Association.September 3, 2024.RetrievedSeptember 5,2024.
  2. ^"Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023"(PDF).American Public Transportation Association.March 4, 2024.RetrievedSeptember 5,2024.
  3. ^Virginia Railway Express LaunchedInternational Railway JournalSeptember 1992 page 71
  4. ^MARTZ, MICHAEL."Virginia has $3.7 billion deal to expand rail service between Richmond and Washington".Richmond Times-Dispatch.RetrievedDecember 19,2019.
  5. ^abcdTaube, Richard K. (August 11, 2008)."Chronology of the Virginia Railway Express: 1964 to Present"(PDF).Virginia Railway Express.Archived(PDF)from the original on November 17, 2015.RetrievedNovember 16,2015.
  6. ^HDR Engineering (August 4, 2010)."Spotsylvania County VRE Commuter Rail Station Site Screening Analysis: Final Technical Memorandum"(PDF).Spotsylvania County. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on August 5, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 17,2013.
  7. ^Lazo, Luz (October 26, 2015)."VRE's Spotsylvania station to open next month".Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on October 27, 2015.RetrievedOctober 27,2015.
  8. ^"VRE Schedules".VRE.Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 2018.RetrievedNovember 28,2018.
  9. ^"Amtrak & MARC Cross Honor Agreements".VRE.RetrievedNovember 28,2018.
  10. ^Horner, Rick (June 12, 2020)."VRE inks $8.5 million deal to keep trains running to Fredericksburg for 1 more year".RetrievedMarch 21,2021.
  11. ^"Keolis in, Amtrak out at VRE".Trains.November 6, 2009.RetrievedJune 10,2010.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^Buske, Jennifer (July 10, 2010)."Amtrak ends role as VRE operator; Keolis to start Monday".The Washington Post.ISSN0190-8286.Archivedfrom the original on August 1, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 27,2015.
  13. ^"Amtrak gets two more weeks to operate Virginia Railway Express".Trains. June 10, 2010.RetrievedJune 10,2010.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^"Virginia Railway Express Sees Decline in Ridership"ArchivedOctober 11, 2007, at theWayback Machine,WTOP news, July 25, 2006
  15. ^Dan Genz (August 15, 2007),"VRE ridership up; commuters likely to ask for later trains"ArchivedSeptember 27, 2013, at theWayback Machine,The Washington Examiner
  16. ^"CEO Report: December 2016".December 2016.Archivedfrom the original on February 2, 2017.
  17. ^Worrell, Carolina (July 14, 2015)."VRE extends contract with Keolis".Railway Age.Archivedfrom the original on September 17, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 27,2015.
  18. ^"VRE extends operations and maintenance contracts with Keolis".www.masstransitmag.com.Endeavor Business Media.RetrievedSeptember 25,2022.
  19. ^ab"VRE throttles back Gainesville, Haymarket expansion plans".Trains. March 21, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on March 21, 2017.RetrievedMarch 21,2017.
  20. ^abTexas A&M Transportation Institute (June 2015)."Congestion Relief Provided by Virginia Railway Express".Virginia Railway Express.Archivedfrom the original on May 1, 2023.
  21. ^Lazo, Luz (November 15, 2015)."VRE Spotsylvania station to open Monday".Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on November 15, 2015.RetrievedNovember 16,2015.
  22. ^Virginia find a bargain in Brazil: a $700,000 commuter carRailway AgeMarch 1990 page 28
  23. ^Middleton, William D. (1994).North American commuter rail 1994.Pasadena, CA:Pentrex.p. 16.OCLC32665882.
  24. ^"Connecticut State Rail Plan 2012–2016"(PDF).Connecticut Department of Transportation.2012. pp. 37, 238.Archived(PDF)from the original on April 1, 2016.RetrievedMarch 26,2016.
  25. ^ab"Virginia Railway Express Transit Development Plan FY2013 – FY2018"(PDF).Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. December 2011.
  26. ^"Maryland Transit purchases passenger-rail coaches from VRE".Progressive Railroading.August 29, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 12,2021.
  27. ^"Strategic Plan 2004–2025"(PDF).Virginia Railway Express. May 2004.
  28. ^abcdefghijk"Equipment & Train Consist".Virginia Railway Express.November 21, 2017.RetrievedNovember 28,2018.
  29. ^abcdefg"Virginia Railway Express".The Diesel Shop. October 29, 2015.RetrievedNovember 28,2018.
  30. ^"VRE taps MotivePower for 12 locomotives, option for 8".August 18, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on August 22, 2009.RetrievedJuly 8,2010.
  31. ^"VRE has $5.1 million surplus".Washington Post.September 20, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon September 19, 2010.RetrievedSeptember 20,2010.
  32. ^abBuske, Jennifer (August 5, 2010)."Virginia Railway Express begins adding new locomotives to its fleet".The Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on November 11, 2012.RetrievedAugust 5,2010.
  33. ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on December 2, 2010.RetrievedSeptember 19,2010.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  34. ^"Railroad Accident Brief – Derailment of Virginia Railway Express train near Quantico, Virginia, January 5, 2006"ArchivedSeptember 15, 2012, at theWayback Machine,National Transportation Safety Board report NTSB/RAB-06/06 (includes link to pdf document with full report), retrieved March 22, 2008
  35. ^"Gov. McDonnell Initiates Review of VRE".patch.com.November 14, 2012.
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