Lot of pieces to this one - you need to read the articles for all the details - some big numbers involved. Some are kind of surprising - a portion of the "S" line and Buckingham Branch included!
https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/12/20-virginia-csx-announce-major-rail-infrastructure-plan - see also the comments
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/virginia-to-build-long-bridge-and-acquire-csx-right-of-way-to-expand-passenger-train-service/2019/12/19/c021ffbc-ff08-11e9-8bab-0fc209e065a8_story.html
https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2019/12/major-amtrak-vre-expansion-set-under-3-7-billion-virginia-csx-deal/ - includes a good map
https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/intercity/virginia-csx-amtrak-get-serious-about-passenger-rail/ - also has map a a "line diagram" of routes and trains
Will keep things happening for the next 10 years, looks like.
- PDN.
The DEVIL will be in the details - I suspect various real estate lawyers will be adjudicateing the entire 'deal' for decades. Virginia Lawyers Full Employment Act.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Four questions come to mind immediately:
1. What does VA's "half" consist of? 1 of 2 tracks, or more likely, an "undivided half interest" in the whole thing?
2. Either way, who will control the dispatching, and with what priorities?
3. What's it worth to CSX to get passenger trains off the existing Long Bridge? It would open up a lot more freight capacity for CSX.
4. Would CSX intermodal trains 'play well' or better with all these passenger operations, than some of the dinosaur slow-speed freight operations now on the former RF&P main? Back in the day, it was a double-track speedway.
The main pproblem for passenger trains on the RF&P portion will be freight train break downs and worse still undesired emergency brake applications. VRE takes one or two a week.
I did not see any mention of another bridge spanning the Appomattox river in Petersburg. Is this to be part of a resurrected S line alignment? CSX seemed to indicate that it would be needed before any additional passenger trains would be considered.
A McIntosh I did not see any mention of another bridge spanning the Appomattox river in Petersburg. Is this to be part of a resurrected S line alignment? CSX seemed to indicate that it would be needed before any additional passenger trains would be considered.
mudchicken I wouldn't hold my breath.... A McIntosh I did not see any mention of another bridge spanning the Appomattox river in Petersburg. Is this to be part of a resurrected S line alignment? CSX seemed to indicate that it would be needed before any additional passenger trains would be considered. Hope VA has somebody on the ball here or at least better than the fails already seen in MA, IL, CO, WA, MS et al. (Just because you have a "Department of Transportation" does not mean you are qualified to railroad.)
I wouldn't hold my breath....
Hope VA has somebody on the ball here or at least better than the fails already seen in MA, IL, CO, WA, MS et al. (Just because you have a "Department of Transportation" does not mean you are qualified to railroad.)
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