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Palmland, It is my understanding that the train will depart Lynchburg arround 5am one hour before the Crescent. This will allow for a 9am arrival. It is impossible to get a seat on the Crescent on short notice. I tried and usally it takes two weeks to get something. We have a daily boarding of arround 10 passengers.
I am not sure about the DC departure time but I think they were indicating 4 or 5 pm.
This train is mainly to get people to DC to conduct business and return.
I will try to find the earilier newspaper articles that have the suggested times.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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It would appear to be a lot more cost effective to add norhtbound/remove southbound a couple of short haul coaches to the Crescent at Lynchburg and then make an afternoon departure northbound and a morning departure from DC or NY southbound for the second train. Doing this would free up more long distance coach seats on the Crescent and provide better service all the way around.
Posts: 2810 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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One of the complaints has been the Crescent can be several hours late and that screws up any morning meetings. It would be embarrassing to have an appointment with a congress critter set for midmorning and not arrive until close to lunch time. With the train originating in Lynchburg at least there should be an on time departure.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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Here is the latest on the Lynchburg train. Can't imagine anyone but the dedicated commuter riding it at these times.
Too bad they can't just add a coach to the Crescent for the commuters and run the new train in the afternoon NB, morning SB, as suggested by Mr. Harris.
While firm schedules and fares have yet to be worked out, the Richmond train will tentatively pull out of Staples Mill about 7 a.m. daily and arrive at Washington's Union Station about 9:30 a.m., then leave Union Station about 4 p.m. and arrive back at Staples Mill at 6-6:30 p.m., according to the Rail and Public Transportation Department. It would be the ninth daily round trip between Richmond and Washington. Northbound trains currently leave Richmond at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., among other times.
The Lynchburg train will leave the Kemper Street Station about 7:45 a.m. and reach Union Station at 11:20-11:30 a.m., the department said. It will depart Washington about 5 p.m. and return to Lynchburg at about 8:30 p.m.
Each train will consist of up to eight passenger coaches, a business-class coach and a café car, Page said.
The consist noted appears to be quite consistent with that of the typical NE Regional train, and in the interest of operational efficiency, Amtrak should want such to be continuing trains. So would the sponsoring agency as a better 'draw for itineraries such as Stamford-Charlottesville would be available.
Given the normal station ("dwell" in railfanese) time allowed at Wash, it would appear the NB Lynchburg train would continue to Boston as 176; the Richmond train as 174. SB things are somewhat "muddier'. There already is a 93 departing Wash for Richmond from Wash at 550P AND an 85 departing 7PM. Possibly 171 arriving Wash 410P could be the continuation but the next available Regional presently terminating at Wash is 173 arriving 645P. However since the Lynchburg train has greater distance; it should be a continuation of 93 and the Richmond of 173.
Trust everyone is clear; hope you all were taking notes as it is now time for a pop quiz Posts: 9977 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Thanks for the update GBN. It sounds like the NB times from Lynchburg are a little more reasonable than the earlier ones mentioned in the Fredricksburg link.
Not sure I understand the need for another Richmond train with two other trains in similar time slots - too bad that money couldn't be used for something a little more innovative - like extend the Lynchburg train to Roanoke or Greensboro, NC
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Looks like this service has outdone its projections: in terms of passengers, double the number, and in terms of revenue, 87 percent higher than the bean counters figured.
By SHARON DONNELL Updated 1:59 PM EST, Thu, Dec 17, 2009
Amtrak’s new line between Washington and Lynchburg had twice as many passengers as expected in its first month of operation, state officials said.
The D.C. to Lynchburg train began running in October and includes a stop along the way in Charlottesville. The new service is sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia as part of a three-year pilot program designed to provide more transportation options for Virginians.
Kevin Page, Director of Rail Transportation for Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation, told the Commonwealth Transportation Board on Wednesday that passenger fares totaled $414,000 in the first month, 87 percent higher than expected. 8,500 passengers rode the new train in October. Page’s comments were first reported by The News & Advance.
While the first results appear to be promising, the true test may come in the winter, after the line has been in operation for three full months. Train ridership is normally lower in the winter, officials said.
posted
This train should also free up space on the Crescent so that passengers making longer trips are not shut out by the train being full of passengers between Lynchburg and points north.
This admittedly was over 10 years ago, but I had the experience of being unable to get a Metroliner out of Newark, and after taking a slower train to Philadelphia finding the same train that was full out of Newark having many empty seats south of Philly. Suspect that the same thing would apply here.
Posts: 2810 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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I'm glad to see Virginia's experiment is off to a good start. I still have not heard when the new Richmond service will begin.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Mr Harris, that is probably fairly common during "rush hours"--there seem to be quite a lot of people who commute between Newark (or Metropark) and Philly. Of course, there are also quite a few who board in Philly for parts south (mainly DC).
On the Carolinian, which I sometimes take NYP to DC at 7AM, there are a couple of cars for more local passengers that I think are probably removed in DC when they are changing engines. Even though there's a another Regional just about 20 minutes later, those two cars are often fairly full--although more people are going NY to DC because it's earlier (commuters NY or Newark to Philly probably would rather get there a little later than 8:30 and sleep in!).
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Article from the News and Advance (on 2/15) claims that the Regional actually was profitable in November, and four times as many passengers were using the Crescent.
quote:Amtrak line posted profit in second month
By RAY REED Published: February 15, 2010 Updated: February 15, 2010
RICHMOND — Lynchburg’s honeymoon with Amtrak continued in November, producing enough riders on the new train that started in October to generate a profit in its second month of operation.
Virginia had planned to provide a $242,000 monthly subsidy to keep the train running. It won’t need any of that money for November.
The month’s results for the new train between Lynchburg and Washington were stronger than October’s ridership, according to Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
Danville also provided a remarkable upward spike in the DRPT report: a quadruple increase in passengers boarding Amtrak’s previously operating Crescent train.
Lynchburg is served by both the Crescent train and the new one, called the Northeast Regional, which leaves at 7:38 a.m. — later in the morning than the Crescent. The Northeast train returns from Washington earlier, at 8:36 p.m.
More than 2,000 people boarded the Crescent in Danville during November, the DRPT said. During the same month of 2008, just 452 people boarded in Danville.
Two factors probably contributed to Danville’s increase, said Meredith Richards, head of the Charlottesville rail advocacy group cvillerail.org.
Richards said ridership on the Crescent dropped in October after the new Lynchburg route was established, making more seats available on the Crescent for Danville passengers.
In addition, Amtrak extended the reduced fares it was offering for the Lynchburg train to people boarding the Crescent in Danville.
“Danville’s increase is a positive, although indirect, result of the new train,” Richards said.
The new Amtrak route had 9,915 riders in November. That was more than double the target of 4,200 riders, according to a report by Kevin Page, DRPT’s rail transportation chief. The train’s revenue for the month totaled just over $534,000. When the new service began, its monthly operating cost was projected at about $455,000.
October’s ridership was 97 percent above the Amtrak goal; November’s results topped the goal by 136 percent.
The train also recorded an 83.6 percent on-time performance in November, 20 percent better than Amtrak’s statewide average, Page’s report said.
Washington is the most popular destination for Northeast train riders, DRPT said, although they could ride it to Philadelphia and points north.
New York is a popular destination for riders who board the train in Charlottesville, according to the DRPT report.
Note that the quadruple increase in passenger count boarding at Danville, VA can be attributed to the new train because ridership out of Lynchburg has opened up space which was previously 'sold out' on the Crescent.
Looks like a win-win so far.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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While 'it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville' I would have preferred to see the Lynchburg train terminate there. Nice town (with the league champions, Danville Braves) and of course a shorter drive for me.
Hopefully this will inspire the state to extend the train to Roanoke sooner rather than later.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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