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jis

jis

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Virginia is acquiring the ex RF&P RoW between Wshington DC and Richmond from CSX. In addition, it is acquiring what appears to be open passenger train rights between Richmond and Petersburg, Doswell to Clifton Forge on BBRR and the S-Line between Petersburg to the border of NC.

This should change the entire shape of passenger rail in Virginia. The whole deal gets e executed by the end of 2020! overall it is $3.6 billion agreement to which Amtrak will contribute a tad over $900 million.

https://www.richmond.com/news/virgi...cle_460c07a4-84d1-5b0c-9c0f-6dd384d7aa7b.html

So I suppose Anderson really means business about Corridors and is willing to put his pocketbook where his mouth is. I reckon that the $944 million from Amtrak will come over several years. Wonder how it will get funded. RRIF? Additional appropriations? From general account?
 
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Another article for reference.
https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2019/12...sion-set-under-3-7-billion-virginia-csx-deal/
https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2019/12...sion-set-under-3-7-billion-virginia-csx-deal/

From the wtop.com article, "Virginia will buy half of the CSX rail line from L’Enfant Plaza in D.C. to downtown Richmond" and the richmond.com article, "The package includes half of the 112 miles of right-of-way and 39 miles of track that CSX owns between Richmond and Washington." It'll be interesting to see the actual details of the transaction.
 
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City of Miami said:
CSX used the BBRR exclusively for empty coal car trains. There seem to have been fewer in recent months - I live 50 yards away. Wonder what this means. Those coal fired plants aren't going away any time soon.
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CSXT has an alternative route, BBRR was leased out with a minimum overhead traffic levels from CSXT. Also useage of coal is dry up, even with out environment regulations. Coal is expensive to mine, expensive to transport, expensive to burn, never mind the stuff coming out of the stack. Big changes occurring in the power generation business currently.
 
I’ve long thought the best way to stop delays in and out of Richmond is to rebuild the Bellwood Sub ex SAL main from Richmond to Bellwood. And rebuild the former C&O from Richmond to Doswell.

Then close Staples Mill and trains would be able to skip Acca Yard and Ashland. Two things that would greatly increase the speed of trains going north south.
 
With this, Amtrak is giving even stronger hints that their next rolling stock purchase will be DEMUs. Gardner expressly mentioned the need to "eliminate the locomotive change at Washington DC." Maybe that's full electrification to Richmond, but nothing in VA's announcement indicates that.
 
Looks like all trains including the Star, Meteor, and Palmetto would stop at Richmond Main Street which means the line around the city would no longer carry passengers unless the Auto Train continued to use it. What would the plan be for the S line? If they moved the Auto Train and Silver Service on to a rebuilt S line how does it continue south once it gets to North Carolina - or would this likely be for some future service? Forgive my ignorance for where all these lines go.
 
Seaboard92 said:
I’ve long thought the best way to stop delays in and out of Richmond is to rebuild the Bellwood Sub ex SAL main from Richmond to Bellwood. And rebuild the former C&O from Richmond to Doswell.

Then close Staples Mill and trains would be able to skip Acca Yard and Ashland. Two things that would greatly increase the speed of trains going north south.
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I believe refurbishing the Bellwood Sub was in the original plan. I imagine it still is. To skip Ashland and Staple Mills, you have to leave the RF&P at Doswell, and then you're on Buckingham Branch RR [CSX] track to Richmond. Not a good thing, IMO. CSX is apparently keeping that portion of the BBRR.
 
Palmetto said:
I believe refurbishing the Bellwood Sub was in the original plan. I imagine it still is. To skip Ashland and Staple Mills, you have to leave the RF&P at Doswell, and then you're on Buckingham Branch RR [CSX] track to Richmond. Not a good thing, IMO. CSX is apparently keeping that portion of the BBRR.
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Yes CSX is keeping the ex-C&O between Doswell and Richmond. Amtrak will remain on its current route through Ashland and RVR, but south of RVR, will not avoid Main Street on trains going South, once the connection from Main Street to the A-Line is restored and Main Street rebuilt. The Auto Train will still continue to run on the current route between RVR and PTB.

lordsigma said:
Looks like all trains including the Star, Meteor, and Palmetto would stop at Richmond Main Street which means the line around the city would no longer carry passengers unless the Auto Train continued to use it. What would the plan be for the S line? If they moved the Auto Train and Silver Service on to a rebuilt S line how does it continue south once it gets to North Carolina - or would this likely be for some future service? Forgive my ignorance for where all these lines go.
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AFAIK the rebuilt S Line between PTB and RGH will be mostly for new service plus maybe the Star and the Carolinian. The Meteor, the Palmetto and the Auto Train will most likely remain on the A-Line. The Auto Train will indeed remain on its current route between RVR and PTB and not run through Main Street, since it has no reason to add to the congestion at Main Street.

But before anything happens with the S-Line between PTB and RGH NC has to conclude a property acquisition from CSX. AFAIK they have not concluded such an agreement with CSX yet, but they may have and I might have missed it.
 
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If the Silver Star uses the S-line, would that mean that it will no longer stop in Wilson and Rocky Mount? And just go between RGH and PTB?

Also, how might these proposed improvements affect the routes and schedules of the Northeast Regionals that serve both NFK and NPN?
 
jis said:
Rebuilt Bellwood Sub was explicitly not in the finally adopted plan. It was considered as an alternative and rejected.

Yes CSX is keeping the ex-C&O between Doswell and Richmond. Amtrak will remain on its current route through Ashland and RVR, but south of RVR, will not avoid Main Street on trains going South, once the connection from Main Street to the A-Line is restored and Main Street rebuilt. The Auto Train will still continue to run on the current route between RVR and PTB.


AFAIK the rebuilt S Line between PTB and RGH will be mostly for new service plus maybe the Star and the Carolinian. The Meteor, the Palmetto and the Auto Train will most likely remain on the A-Line. The Auto Train will indeed remain on its current route between RVR and PTB and not run through Main Street, since it has no reason to add to the congestion at Main Street.

But before anything happens with the S-Line between PTB and RGH NC has to conclude a property acquisition from CSX. AFAIK they have not concluded such an agreement with CSX yet, but they may have and I might have missed it.
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Is there any indication of when the trains will begin stopping at Main Street? As I mentioned, the only place I can see it discussed is in the service plan and I can't see any indication of a date associated with it.
 
LookingGlassTie said:
If the Silver Star uses the S-line, would that mean that it will no longer stop in Wilson and Rocky Mount? And just go between RGH and PTB?
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If it uses the S-Line a decade from now if and when it is rebuilt, then yes, that would be the case.
Also, how might these proposed improvements affect the routes and schedules of the Northeast Regionals that serve both NFK and NPN?
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After the Main Street Station is upgraded and the S-Line connection from it to the A-Line is restored south of the station the NFK trains would presumably start calling at RVM before heading to PTB.

After the additional tracks and upgrades are completed between ALX and RVR presumably running times will be shortened some in that segment for all services, including those to NFK and NPN.
brianpmcdonnell17 said:
Is there any indication of when the trains will begin stopping at Main Street? As I mentioned, the only place I can see it discussed is in the service plan and I can't see any indication of a date associated with it.
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I am sure it is several years away. It involves upgrading Main Street station track layout and restoring the connection south of Main Street station to the A-Line.
 
If the Bellwood sub is not restored for passenger use, are you saying some trains to the south, such as Norfolk, would make a reverse move to return to the A line (at south end of Acca freight yard), about 4 miles? Otherwise, you have to restore the Bellwood sub for its connection to the A line about 15 miles south at Centralia.
 
Palmland said:
If the Bellwood sub is not restored for passenger use, are you saying some trains to the south, such as Norfolk, would make a reverse move to return to the A line (at south end of Acca freight yard), about 4 miles? Otherwise, you have to restore the Bellwood sub for its connection to the A line about 15 miles south at Centralia.
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My bad. Brain fart. Yes of course the Bellwood Sub is what will reconnect Main Street to the A-Line. Corrected in the original post.
 
The last time I observed the Bellwood sub there were several items. One item was the many freight spurs south of the James River. And the sub was in either Class 2 or sporadic Class 3 conditions. Then there is the old C&O diamond just south of the station platform.
Auto train certainly will use the "A" line and not have to crawl upgrade north from RVM.
 
The Bellwood sub connects to the A line at Centralia. The plan I have a copy of shows another track built on 30' centers parallel the A line and a new bridge across the Appomattox river in Petersburg. At a point near Collier yard the S line veers off on its route to Raleigh. Auto Train will still be on its A line routing because it will not clear the James river sub bridge at the triple crossing.
 

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