Virginia plan for the future

[blue streak 1]

The following report is very detailed for both passenger and freight improvements. There is a lot of reding to do.  This thread  will address the passenger  side.  Virginia seems to recognize that the NEC extends now from DCA to Richmond - Newport News / Norfolk and also to Charlottesville -Lynchburgh ( especially since no interstate route ).  The expansion of Virginia service to Roanoke - Bristol is also noted.   One omission affears to be very little improvement to the Charlottesville - Clifton forge route of the Cardinal.     

http://www.drpt.virginia.gov/activities/files/00%20-%20DRAFT%20VSRP.pdf

 

[Deggesty]

Yes, there is, indeed, a lot of reading to do. No, I did not read every word, but what I did read shows great promise--if the money can be found.

[calzeph]

One thing that's very much needed is for improvements to allow daily operation of the Cardinal. I understand that the Buckingham Brach is a big obstacle. More convetional NEC trains need exrensions into Virginia and North Carolina. A late one could even be extended overnight. What I wonder is how close to the Gatlinburg/Pidgeon Forge, Tennesse area would be from service possibly being extended to Bristol.It wouldn't hurt if some staes would help in paying to have that 70 car option exercised on that Viewliner II order.

[Deggesty]

It's about 110 miles from Bristol to Pigeon Forge, and about ten miles farther to Gatllinburg.

 

Now, if you get into the mountains, be careful when you take a picture of a bear and her cub. A friend of mine watched another man start to take a flash picture of a bear and her cub, putting his camera within the reach of Mama--when the flash went off, she knocked the camera out of his hand. I hope he gave thanks that her paw did not connect with more than his camera.

[Alan F]

blue streak 1

One omission affears to be very little improvement to the Charlottesville - Clifton forge route of the Cardinal.   

I have to pull the exact numbers, but Virginia is providing about $25 million over a multi-year period from the state Shortline Railway Preservation fund for Buckingham Branch railroad track maintenance, signal upgrades, a new siding for the BBRR subdivisions the Cardinal runs over. Virginia is putting up a 70% state match with BBRR, CSX or others contributing 30%. The exact amounts and projects are all listed in the Six Year Improvement Plan (SYIP) budget documents available on the Virginia DRPT website. The project that was first listed in the FY2013 SYIP document was a $7 million siding project in FY14 and FY15 on the BBRR North Mountain subdivision. Have not found a detailed description of the project, but the cost is about right to build a siding long enough to handle 8000' long coal trains.

 

Look for the Shortline Program section in the Draft State Rail Plan. It does state "Improve Amtrak service reliability on the Buckingham Branch Railroad", VA is doing its part to allow for a daily Cardinal service.

 

The transportation funding bill passed earlier this year provides about an additional $44 million in FY2014 for passenger rail projects from the state sales tax which is projected to grow to $50+ million a year. VA DRPT will have enough funding to complete a lot of smaller track and capacity improvement projects over the next 6 years.

[Bonaventure10]

As far as i understand there is no Piggyback ramp in Northern VA anymore?

[blue streak 1]

Virginia has made a schedule change for its Amtrak Norfolk service.  Effective Aug 31st train 174will now originate at RVR same schedule to Boston.  Train 88 will now originate Norfolk at 0610 running time to Richmond slightly less than 174's timetablei but 174 will leave RVR same tim and terminate NYP same as now.

Wonder if this is going to reduce military traffic to WASH ?

NFK connection to Newport News is still same.

Anyone know if Virginia has made this much of a change anywhere before ?.

[blue streak 1]

Amtrak of modified schedule.  There is no schedule posted yet other than departure tim at Norfolk.

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/438/139/Amtrak-Announces-New-Morning-Departure-Time-For-Norfolk-Service-ATK%2015-042.pdf