Amtrak to provide commuter service to Richmond, Lynchburg

[Lunican]

Amtrak to provide commuter service to Richmond, Lynchburg

Amtrak will begin a daily commuter rail service between D.C. and Richmond and Lynchburg, Va., this fall.

The Lynchburg line is expected to begin in September, with the Richmond service added in December.

The Richmond line will make stops at Staples Mill Road in Richmond, Ashland, Fredericksburg, Quantico, Woodbridge, Alexandria and L’Enfant Plaza. The train is scheduled to depart Richmond daily at 7 a.m. and arrive in Washington at 9:30 a.m. Afternoon service is scheduled to depart Washington at 3:55 p.m. and arrive in Richmond at 6:25 p.m.

Fares are still in the works; tickets from Richmond to D.C. on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional train range from $22 to upward of $40, depending on the time of purchase.

Full Article:
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/06/01/daily102.html

[fsujax]

I hope they have more than one train departing Washington in the afternoon. I don't know how many people get off that early on a normal work day. Those seem like odd commute times.

[Lunican]

Here is a little more info. I think initially it will just be one train, but there are several other trains also serving Richmond.

The service is part of an agreement announced this spring by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine. The state will pay Amtrak $17.2 million for a three-year trial period for the service. The partnership is part of an effort to create a national high-speed rail system funded in part by the stimulus package. States offering a similar state-funded Amtrak commuter rail include Pennsylvania, New York, and California.

[JeffreyS]

Good for them now can we please follow their lead.

[Lunican]

So Richmond will have a train running a few months from now and it will cost $17.2 million for a three-year trial period.

Jacksonville will have BRT running in about 10 years, and it will cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

[JeffreyS]

Wow Lunican wow ,I want to say something more profound but damn it wow!

[JeffreyS]

Here is the Amtrak press release and an invation from Amtrak for State and local officials to contact them for your own Amtrak deal.

News Release

National Railroad Passenger Corporation
60 Massachusetts Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20002
www.amtrak.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATK-09-042

Contact: Media Relations (202) 906-3860
June 3, 2009
Amtrak Signs Agreement with Virginia to Provide New Passenger Rail Service

Nation's Railroad Uniquely Positioned to Develop Partnerships with Other States

WASHINGTON - With a new agreement signed with Virginia, Amtrak is now the choice of 15 states to operate their state-funded passenger rail service and is uniquely positioned to develop partnerships with other states, said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman.

"Amtrak is excited to establish new passenger rail service for Virginia and is seeking opportunities to partner with other states to provide additional rail transportation options," Boardman stated, highlighting the national reach of the railroad's extensive network of stations and mechanical and operational facilities as well as its equipment fleet and reservations system.

Boardman stressed that a primary objective of Amtrak is to be the operator of the national high speed rail system being developed by states with new federal funding provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Amtrak understands the needs, opportunities and challenges associated with creating and operating new passenger rail service and is able to provide the leadership and technical assistance necessary to successfully help states reach that goal, he said.

Under the Virginia agreement, Amtrak will receive $17.2 million from Virginia over a three-year demonstration period to provide new daily service to Washington, D.C. from Lynchburg beginning in October 2009 and from Richmond beginning in December 2009. Detailed schedules and fares will be finalized by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Amtrak in the coming months.

In addition to Virginia, Amtrak currently has partnership agreements with the following states to operate state-funded passenger rail services: California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

About Amtrak

Amtrak has posted six consecutive years of growth in ridership and revenue, carrying more than 28.7 million passengers in the last fiscal year. Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service to more than 500 destinations in 46 states on a 21,000-mile route system. For schedules, fares and information, passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com.

[Lunican]

Metro Jacksonville - May 21st, 2009
Why Does Florida Need Amtrak?
Here are five reasons why Amtrak may be the solution to Florida's commuter and intercity rail problems.

Amtrak - June 3rd, 2009
Amtrak Signs Agreement with Virginia to Provide New Passenger Rail Service
Nation's Railroad Uniquely Positioned to Develop Partnerships with Other States

[Ocklawaha]

I don't think this article is correct as writen. It should be CORRIDOR SERVICE as opposed to COMMUTE SERVICE. The Corridor trains have been extended little by little to Richmond and now even Raleigh and Charlotte with State help. Both Virginia and North Carolina have really taken advantage of these programs. They have been getting this ready since LONG before it was vogue to be a train supporter. Virginia asked for and got an extension of the Northeast Corridor to Richmond 15 years or so, ago. NC is newer to the game but have done more with less, in less time then most other states. Maryland is also in the Amtrak corridor game.

The newest play is LYNCHBURG and extreme Southwest Virginia. This will be a short Amtrak corridor train that follows one of the busiest freeways in the nation. If it works out expect it to be expanded, in fact watch Tennessee as they may pull it on across the former route of the SOUTHERNER from Lynchburg-Knoxville-Chattanooga-Corinth-Memphis.

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

As of this morning, no one at JTA was in the loop on this.

I highly doubt this is true.

BTW...I rode the Coaster commuter rail here in San Diego today...but oddly enough, Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner service runs more frequently...the only pluses for the commuter rail service is more stops (which of course means it takes longer) and lower ticket prices.

[thelakelander]

^Interesting.  What is the difference in ticket pricing?  I assume with the Pacific Surfliner corridor service, you're paying a higher fare to get to major stops quicker.  Did you have a chance to try out the Sprinter?

[tufsu1]

the Amtrak service gets you to Oceanside in about 45 minutes....instead of 55 on the Coaster...plus there's room for package

And yes, I got to ride the Sprinter for a few stops....and took the trolley all the way out to Santee...its like an hour from downtown!

[Ocklawaha]

Anyone wanting a preview of the "Commuter Service" to Lynchburg it's posted below. This is a timetable for a previous train that ran the route prior to 1971. As I said, it's NOT - NOT - NOT Commuter service, rather an intra-state passenger train which Amtrak will soon launch. This would be no different then us getting a completely Intra-State train down the Florida East Coast, or a train into Gainesville.

125 Train Number 176(3rd)
Daily ....... ..Miles (Pennsylvania) Services  Daily
12 30P Dp ...0.0 New York, NY (Penna. Sta.) (ET) C R A Ar 4 45P
12 45P.......10.0 Newark, NJ C R A ............................... 4 29P
1 31P..... .. 58.1 Trenton, NJ C R A   
2 01P.......  85.9 North Philadelphia,. PA C A .................. 3 22P
2 09P Ar ....91.4 Philadelphia, PA (30th St. Sta.) C R A .Dp 3 13P
2 10P Dp........................................................... ....Ar 3 12P
2 39P ...... 118.1 Wilmington, DE C A...........................  2 44P
3 40PAr ....186.6 Baltimore, MD C R A Dp ......................1 42P
3 41P Dp............................................................. Ar 1 41P
4 25P Ar... 226.6 Washington, DC C R A Dp ..................12 35P

4 50P Dp.. 226.6 Washington, DC T C Ar .....................12 35P
5 05P ..... 234.8 Alexandria, VA C  .............................12 15P
5 45P ..... 259.2 Manassas, VA T C...........................  11 35A
6 04P ..... 272.9 Calverton, VA T C ........................... 11 16A
6 35P ..... 294.0 Culpeper, VA T C ............................ 10 46A
7 02P....  311.3 Orange, VA T C ............................... 10 18A
7 46P .... 338.8 Charlottesville, VA T C ...................... 9 38A
F .......... 368.7. Shipman, VA T C......................................   
F .......... 384.6 Amherst, VA T C  .......................................
F ......... .386.6 Sweetbriar, VA C  F ..........................8 25A
  ...........391.7 Monroe, VA T C ............................... 8 15A
9 32P Ar. 399.1 Lynchburg, VA (Kemper St.) T C Dp..... 7 55A

OCKLAWAHA