Richmond Region Transportation

[burt]

that's not the purpose of the TDX russ....it's probably supposed to help out southwestern/western/parts of central Virginia. I'm sure most people are aware that they can catch a train from Richmond to HR is this plan went forward.

And by just crossing the platform at MSS if schedules are set-up to make quick connections.

Edited November 12, 2005 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

"Gov. Mark R. Warner's Rail Advisory Board gave the green light today to a $23 million plan that will help fix old switches at Richmond's Acca Yard, start work on a new staging area for Main Street Station and make other rail improvements."

Rail Plan Progresses Despite Debate...

Some people feel that not enough funding is going towards passenger rail... there will be more on it in tomorrow's paper.

[burt]

Two Amtrak trains, Numbers 66 & 67, between Richmond and Newport News will be temporarily discontinued between Feb. 6th and March 2nd (Mondays thru Thursdays) while track replacement work is done. I contacted Chip Jones asking, with hope in my heart, if the work will be in the Acca Yard area, thus speeding up service between Staples Mill Station and N/N. He thinks the work will be east of Richmond and that while not cutting time between the cities, the ride may be "less bumpy".

The two remaining trains, Numbers 94 and 95, will be affected northbound only. Departure from N/N will be 2 hours earlier at 7:10 AM. Southbound will still depart DC at 2:30 PM and arrive in N/N at 6:50 PM.

Edited January 31, 2006 by burt

[burt]

I read recently in one of the train publications to which I subscribe that 2008 is now the anticipated year for trains that presently terminate at Staples Mill Station to continue to MSS. That would increase the number of trains serving Main Street station from four to eight.

Edited February 8, 2006 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

not bad.. thanks for the update! WIll those trains also still stop at the Staples Mill station?

[burt]

not bad.. thanks for the update! WIll those trains also still stop at the Staples Mill station?

Oh, yes. Staples Mill will continue to be a stop for ALL trains.

[wrldcoupe4]

Well, this isn't huge news or anything, but it could prove to become important....

Bus Trips added to express route in Chesterfield...

"The trips are being added to help ease the overcrowding currently being experienced on some of the route's trips," explained Larry Hagin, GRTC director of planning and government relations.

The reason I say it may be important is because it shows that Chesterfield can and is warm(ing) to public transit use, at least for the daily commute. When I was heading downtown last thursday morning, I saw 2 buses (1 from Cloverleaf to downtown, the other from Commonwealth 20 to downtown) on the downtown expressway and both were packed.

[TBurban]

Well, this isn't huge news or anything, but it could prove to become important....

Bus Trips added to express route in Chesterfield...

The reason I say it may be important is because it shows that Chesterfield can and is warm(ing) to public transit use, at least for the daily commute. When I was heading downtown last thursday morning, I saw 2 buses (1 from Cloverleaf to downtown, the other from Commonwealth 20 to downtown) on the downtown expressway and both were packed.

Buses come to Glen Allen all the time as well, even in the Far West End.

Edited March 6, 2006 by RVA_tommy

[wrldcoupe4]

I wonder how the passenger numbers are for the west end buses..?

[TBurban]

They seem fairly full, quite a few people get off at Regency, and even all the way out to Short Pump Town Center. Yes, thats right, Short pump Town Center Not too many bus stops, but enough.

Edited March 6, 2006 by RVA_tommy

[ric75]

Well, this isn't huge news or anything, but it could prove to become important....

Bus Trips added to express route in Chesterfield...

The reason I say it may be important is because it shows that Chesterfield can and is warm(ing) to public transit use, at least for the daily commute. When I was heading downtown last thursday morning, I saw 2 buses (1 from Cloverleaf to downtown, the other from Commonwealth 20 to downtown) on the downtown expressway and both were packed.

Sure it's only a few buses but like you said, it's hopefully an indicator of the easing of suburban/urban tensions. Sometimes I think we have our own little Middle East going on here. And we are pretty certain that the traffic isn't people from downtown returning home from a shopping trip in the burbs aren't we?

[BGW]

Buses come to Glen Allen all the time as well, even in the Far West End.

Not very many do. If I wanted to ride the bus to work (Gayton/John Rolfe area) from home, I'd have about a 5-mile walk from the closest bus stop to my office.

[wrldcoupe4]

Well, this isn't huge news or anything, but it could prove to become important....

Bus Trips added to express route in Chesterfield...

The reason I say it may be important is because it shows that Chesterfield can and is warm(ing) to public transit use, at least for the daily commute. When I was heading downtown last thursday morning, I saw 2 buses (1 from Cloverleaf to downtown, the other from Commonwealth 20 to downtown) on the downtown expressway and both were packed.

Seems like the buses are actually a huge success!

New bus a success as downtown express service expands

From the way this article tells it, it seems that friday's are the slowest days, yet all seats are still full.

The fare price is $1.75 per ride, so from that part of Chesterfield, it's the same as taking powhite and the DT expressway to get to work ($.75 toll at the extension, $.50 toll at the main plaza, and $.50 toll on the DT expressway).

From a regional transportation perspective, the success of this program is really good news

[orulz]

The Southeast High Speed Rail initiative has released some updated information about the project - namely, how the project's scope has been revised to extend from Charlotte to Richmond instead of Charlotte to Petersburg. This project will involve running all trains through Richmond to Main Street Station instead of (in addition to?) the current station at Staples Mill Road.

Here are the alignments being considered between Petersburg and Richmond:

[burt]

Thanks, Orulz, for this update.

That yellow (alternative 1) at the bottom of the map connecting the old ACL line (presently mainline to Carolina/Florida) with the old Seaboard Raleigh line perplexes me.

[TBurban]

Ahh, this is great news! Maybe it will spark the light rail plan for Richmond. Thanks, orulz

[orulz]

That yellow (alternative 1) at the bottom of the map connecting the old ACL line (presently mainline to Carolina/Florida) with the old Seaboard Raleigh line perplexes me.

That's known as the "Burgess Connection". The old Seaboard Air Line was abandoned north of Burgess in 1967, when the Atlantic Coast Line ("A" line) and Seaboard Air Line ("S" line) merged. The connection allowed trains to move between the "A" line and the "S" line.

The rest of the "S" line between Norlina, NC and Burgess was gradually downgraded, and finally abandoned in 1985 - probably fallout from mergers and deregulation (Staggers Rail Act of 1980.) CSX still retains the right-of-way at least as far as Burgess. Much of the old right-of-way beyond that between Burgess and Centralia is still intact, but there are some places where it has been compromised. Notably, on the map above, the bridge where the Green/Orange route crosses under Norfolk Southern's belt line (south of downtown) is currently a factory access road, and the bridge where the green/orange route crosses under I-85 is now a dirt fill. (not sure when the highway was reconstructed, but it was some time after 1994.)

The green route follows the old Atlantic Coast Line main through Colonial Heights north of the river. This is a modern right of way with no grade crossings. The only two places where the right-of-way has been compromised is the bridge over the river (removed) and the Conduit Road crossing (used to be a bridge but is now a dirt fill.) I think this alignment is promising since it allows for a downtown station, but the SEHSR folks think it's unlikely due to neighborhood issues in Colonial Heights.

Through Petersburg, the old ACL main had numerous grade crossings, steep grades, and ran like a streetcar down the middle of Washington Street downtown. The railroad was more than happy to abandon this dangerous and slow arrangement. This isn't the route being considered by SEHSR, so no worries here.

I think that's more than you ever wanted to know about railroads in Petersburg...

[orulz]

Here's another map. Red is the part of the old S-line that my idea for SEHSR routing would use. Blue is the part of old S-line that would remain unused. Purple is the connection betweent the S-line and the Norfolk Southern main line that I am proposing.

[urbanvb]

This is great news for Richmond. Richmond is really becoming a tech area in itself with good paying jobs moving in. IMO it only makes good sense to tie in Richmond with the rest of the line. I have a feeling there could be a ripple effect as the high tech areas are all connected by train. I would love to see a spillover effect as the distance between our cities becomes 'smaller' and more efficient for travel.

[TBurban]

I just hope this all happens in my lifetime

[urbanvb]

I think its awesome that rail is coming to some of the major mid atlantic east coast cities. I know there are a lot of city rail lines going up around the country but not sure about regional ones such as this one. Hopefully this will draw interest and lead to other regions exploring rail as well.

[TBurban]

Would this rail development mean new bridges coming into Richmond? Or would they just use the available ones and possibly divert the train onto them before crossing the river?

[wrldcoupe4]

I think the proposal would be using rail right of way already in place, so I doubt we'd see more bridges....

but speaking of bridges... money has been appropriated for a replacement bridge for the Mayo Bridge... not sure of the time table for it though.

[orulz]

From what I've been able to discover, there will not be any new bridges in Richmond. Passenger trains will be moved from the CSX main (the high, double track bridge between Westover Hills Boulevard and Powhite Parkway) to the CSX "Bellwood" sub (the bridge between Mayo and I-95).

There are a total of four tracks on three bridges crossing the James at Richmond. (three tracks, two bridges owned by CSX; one track, one bridge owned by Norfolk Southern.) There's probably enough capacity in that system.

The situation in Petersburg is different. There used to be three tracks on three bridges crossing the Appomattox at Petersburg, but now there's only a single track on one bridge - so at the very least, one new bridge will have to be built in Petersburg. What has not been decided yet is where the new bridge will go.

[burt]

Orulz, let me see if I follow you on this. Your proposal for southbound SEHSR would be the simulated "A" line from Dunlop to N/S, thence via your purple connection to "S" line north of the N/S belt? Would that avoid the compromises on "S" north of Burgess? And is there still a bridge across the Appomattox on the simulated "A" from Dunlop to N/S?

Another question: Is the old "S" line still operational north from "Pete" Interlocking to Chester? I thought that line was abandoned years ago.

Also. I see wonderful opportunity for a "loop" commuter line MSS/Hopewell/Petersburg/MSS - especially since Fort Lee (between Hopewell and Petersburg) is suddenly about to more than double in population, thanks to BRAC. RDT's would be practical equipment.

Thanks for your contributions.

OH, and by the way, if your "purple" connector were utilized, it would make a great connection from South Hampton Roads via N/S to Raleigh/Charlotte without change at MSS in Richmond.

Edited April 13, 2006 by burt