Fredericksburg, VA LD service?

[MattW]

I was wondering why Fredericksburg, VA is skipped by all but the Carolinians and Regionals? For the Silvers and Palmetto, it is literally in the middle of a 100 mile gap between Richmond and Alexandria, and at least in my personal opinion, would open up the South of D.C. area to the LD market other than just the Autotrain. Now, I'll be the first to admit, that the Silvers don't exactly need ridership help right now, but really, what would it take since the trains go through anyways, and the station's already there, and in fact Amtrak itself is already there?

 

[Thirdrail7]

For many years, Amtrak didn't want to squeeze in more riders in the local coaches since the capacity of the long distance trains had decreased. Over the last few years, Fredericksburg's population has been on the rise necessitating additional service. Over the years, CSX has balked at allowing trains to add a scheduled stop, usually waiting new operating agreements and assessing the impact on traffic.

That being said, after a few years of negotiating and waiting, 97/98 will begin stopping in FBG next month. QAN was also in the cross hairs, but apparently that will have to wait.

 

[Anderson]

For many years, Amtrak didn't want to squeeze in more riders in the local coaches since the capacity of the long distance trains had decreased. Over the last few years, Fredericksburg's population has been on the rise necessitating additional service. Over the years, CSX has balked at allowing trains to add a scheduled stop, usually waiting new operating agreements and assessing the impact on traffic.

That being said, after a few years of negotiating and waiting, 97/98 will begin stopping in FBG next month. QAN was also in the cross hairs, but apparently that will have to wait.

This is both good to hear and sad to hear. It's good to hear insofar as it should add another 10k riders IIRC (that's about what the PIP projected, at least). It is sad, however, because 97 could fly from ALX to RVR (we once got into RVR 14 minutes early, though this was on the old 1:50 schedule...still, 101 miles in 96 minutes on track with a MAS of 70 MPH is truly impressive and was probably equivalent to the best times ever listed by the RF&P from ALX to Broad Street Station).

QAN was in the crosshairs as well, but I believe the study was looking at adding FBG to the Meteor and QAN to the Star.

Edit: And that capacity decrease...well, that's just sad given the fare levels that Amtrak can drag out of NEC-to-Virginia service.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

Looks like the effective date is August 31. There are some minor adjustments to the Meteor's schedule on that date as well.

 

[I always rode the Southern]

For many years, Amtrak didn't want to squeeze in more riders in the local coaches since the capacity of the long distance trains had decreased. Over the last few years, Fredericksburg's population has been on the rise necessitating additional service. Over the years, CSX has balked at allowing trains to add a scheduled stop, usually waiting new operating agreements and assessing the impact on traffic.

That being said, after a few years of negotiating and waiting, 97/98 will begin stopping in FBG next month. QAN was also in the cross hairs, but apparently that will have to wait.

This is both good to hear and sad to hear. It's good to hear insofar as it should add another 10k riders IIRC (that's about what the PIP projected, at least). It is sad, however, because 97 could fly from ALX to RVR (we once got into RVR 14 minutes early, though this was on the old 1:50 schedule...still, 101 miles in 96 minutes on track with a MAS of 70 MPH is truly impressive and was probably equivalent to the best times ever listed by the RF&P from ALX to Broad Street Station).

QAN was in the crosshairs as well, but I believe the study was looking at adding FBG to the Meteor and QAN to the Star.

Edit: And that capacity decrease...well, that's just sad given the fare levels that Amtrak can drag out of NEC-to-Virginia service.

For me, what was sad was that when my son lived in Fredericksburg, I could reflect that my DIL could hear the horn of the Star, as I passed by the city on the way to ALX, where I would get off and wait for my son to pick me up on his way home from work. Or, I would ride the meteor arriving around 4am in RVR and transfer to a regional around 6:30 am. Too late for me, but glad they are now stopping there.

 

[afigg]

That being said, after a few years of negotiating and waiting, 97/98 will begin stopping in FBG next month. QAN was also in the cross hairs, but apparently that will have to wait.

The Quantico station has $11 million allocated to add a pedestrian overpass with elevators and new platforms. I came across this news in VRE board meeting minutes. Quantico is in the middle of the Arkendale to Powell's Creek 3rd track segment and will be upgraded with an island platform, so trains can stop at the platforms from any track. The Arkendale to Powell's Creek 3rd track project is to be completed in 2017; don't know the how closely the timeframe of the Quantico station upgrades to the schedule and work for the 3rd track project. So, perhaps Quantico gets additional Amtrak stops after its platform upgrades are completed (2018??).

 

[xyzzy]

So the tradeoff is truly incremental ridership at these new stopping points (ignoring the people who would just have caught the train at Richmond or Alexandria anyway) versus a longer trip time for passengers who don't on/off at those same points. I don't know that an extra 5 or 10 minutes for Quantico and/or Fredericksburg added to the already leisurely schedule of the Silvers will make much difference, but there is a limit to how many stops these trains should make. Of course, Amtrak and CSX can't hold to today's schedule anyway...

 

[Anderson]

Eh, 10k/yr (which the PIP projected) isn't that small...and it is quite possible that it ends up undershooting, with the Meteor doing some "cleanup" action since it is the last train south out of DC.

 

[OBS]

Now, if we could just get a ticket agent/ checked baggage placed there as well...

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

For me, personally, this is wonderful news! I have been hoping for this for years, but never thought it would happen because it makes too much sense (as we know, Amtrak and common sense don't always go together!) . FBG is one of my favorite "getaway" places, and now I can just add an overnight there on my way to or from Florida, instead of making it a separate trip and going back and forth on the boring stretch between WAS and home.

From what I've seen on an informal basis, FBG now seems to be becoming a commuter city for Washington, the same way ALX did many years ago. A lot of people seem to get off the commuter train there in the evening. So perhaps some of them will now take the Meteor who wouldn't have bothered going all the way to WAS or Richmond to take it.

I realize there is some kind of weird delay between Alexandria and Richmond sometimes, but I don't think a few minutes of extra time boarding at FBG will have that much of an impact on timekeeping.

 

[xyzzy]

Will be interesting to see how Amtrak prices tickets on the Silver at these stations. They don't want to sell so many shorts that they lose revenue from long-haul pax. We will know shortly.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Now, if we could just get a ticket agent/ checked baggage placed there as well...

Or even just a Quik-trak kiosk and an announcement system that doesn't sound like the Robots movie!

 

[Thirdrail7]

Will be interesting to see how Amtrak prices tickets on the Silver at these stations. They don't want to sell so many shorts that they lose revenue from long-haul pax. We will know shortly.

I randomly selected a Wednesday in September, a Wednesday in October and a Friday in October.. The only price difference between the Silver Meteor and train 85( the regional that runs 20 minutes in front of it) is the Meteor doesn't offer a "flexible" fare.

I would have thought local travel for points between NYP and WAS traveling to FBG would be a bit more expensive on the Meteor. I guess they figure if you're holding space for boarding FBG headed south, you might as well utilize the seats they ultimately intend to occupy. to

 

[Anderson]

They'll probably shift to the normal practice after a few weeks/months of service, but I suspect that Amtrak does want to promote the new service to at least some extent.

 

[afigg]

Checking Google Earth, the platforms at Fredericksburg are about 420' long. Won't the Meteor have to make a double stop at FBG? Which would add to the time penalty for the Meteor to stop at FBG.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Anderson and afigg,

Judging from the amount of advertising I've seen so far for this from Amtrak (none--it's on the list of stations the Meteor stops at in the tiny print on the revised website where you have to search forever for what you want, but that's it), the only people getting on it at FBG will be me and anyone else who was lucky enough to read about it here. So the lines may be short, at least for a while, til it starts getting around by word of mouth.

The main problem with FBG is that there is no logical order, even to which side your train might be on. There is a handy tunnel to go to the other side if you guess wrong.

Also, although I am thrilled to have this option, I am curious as to why it's the Meteor, and not the Star, because the Star would stop there at more logical times.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Checking Google Earth, the platforms at Fredericksburg are about 420' long. Won't the Meteor have to make a double stop at FBG? Which would add to the time penalty for the Meteor to stop at FBG.

It only matters if you are working baggage or boarding sleeping car passengers and working coach passengers on the same train. I'm thinking baggage won't be an issue, but it possible to have coach and sleeping passengers boarding.

This is probably why they schedule was adjusted 10 minutes.