Idea for Marc/VRE weekend services.

Something that both companies need to consider are weekend services.

I would think that there would be a market for 2 to 4 weekend Trains from DC to Harpers Ferry on Marc, and to Fredricksburg on VRE. This way the companies could cash in on DCs tourism, advertising their weekend excursions to these popular destinations, which are already served by their facilities.

Just a thought.

As always, money and willingness of the host RR (CSX in the case of MARC) to have additional trains are going to make this near impossible.

Matt_S wrote:Something that both companies need to consider are weekend services.

I would think that there would be a market for 2 to 4 weekend Trains from DC to Harpers Ferry on Marc, and to Fredricksburg on VRE. This way the companies could cash in on DCs tourism, advertising their weekend excursions to these popular destinations, which are already served by their facilities.

Just a thought.

I think DC to Frederick would make more sense though. However, I would estimate that 70% of Brunswick Line riders are less than 15min away from a Metro station and even with their problems (fare increases, weekend trackwork) that would probably be the more convenient option given that MARC service would be very skeletal. The Penn Line needs weekend service, but there are a number of barriers including those mentioned above, and on top of that the state's budget crisis. They got really close a year or so ago, but Amtrak said no and the economy fell apart forcing the state to cut the MTA budget.

In the case of VRE the Frederiscksburg Line is already served with Amtrak LD and Regional trains every so often, and the state just added some additional trains, although I'm not sure if they run on weekends.

If there wasn't frequent NE Regional, Acela Express, and LD service (which stop at New Carrollton, BWI Airport, and Aberdeen) on MARC's Penn Line there would almost definitely be weekend MARC service. Weekend service on the Camden Line would be redundant, and the riders closer to DC can take Metro from Greenbelt or College Park.

At one time MARC considered doing a weekend package deal to Harpers Ferry WV and possibly a connecting bus to the casinos. It failed due to CSX allowing a train to run on Sunday to bring the people back home. I suggested using the Capital Limited as the return, but the guy said the idea was dead.

I do know that on the MARC improvement plan for the Brunswick Line, one of the goals is adding reverse peak service. I believe CSX wants a number of passing sidings for this to be implemented though, as well as triple tracking some areas.

Thats good news, at least theres something in the works, there have been many times that I've wanted to do a journey on that route but have been unable as I would be travelling from DC.

Matt_S wrote:Thats good news, at least theres something in the works, there have been many times that I've wanted to do a journey on that route but have been unable as I would be travelling from DC.

Considering they've been trying for the past 5 years, something in the works could be at least another 5 years.

I too wish there was weekend service.

Weekend MARC service on the Penn line was set to go, but budget cuts destroyed it.

What I think MARC and Amtrak could do would be sell space available tickets on Amtrak trains for travel between DC and Baltimore on the weekends at MARC prices.

gprimr1 wrote:Weekend MARC service on the Penn line was set to go, but budget cuts destroyed it.

What I think MARC and Amtrak could do would be sell space available tickets on Amtrak trains for travel between DC and Baltimore on the weekends at MARC prices.

...or even better have a few Amtrak trains in each direction make some MARC stops such as: Perryville, Edgewood, Halethorpe, and Odenton. MARC riders with weekly and monthly tickets can ride NE Regionals for free on the weekend, but only from the 5 Amtrak/MARC stations

realtype wrote:

gprimr1 wrote:Weekend MARC service on the Penn line was set to go, but budget cuts destroyed it.

What I think MARC and Amtrak could do would be sell space available tickets on Amtrak trains for travel between DC and Baltimore on the weekends at MARC prices.

...or even better have a few Amtrak trains in each direction make some MARC stops such as: Perryville, Edgewood, Halethorpe, and Odenton. MARC riders with weekly and monthly tickets can ride NE Regionals for free on the weekend, but only from the 5 Amtrak/MARC stations

From your Mouth to God's Ears or in this case the Amtrak and MTA Officals.

You might get Odenton.

You probally won't get Perryville because it's too close to Aberdeen.

Edgewood apparently has a funky track configuration so that might not float to well.

Halethorpe, while a good idea, doesn't have high level platforms, which isn't a deal breaker, but surely to be considered. Also, Halethorpe is on a 100mph straight away after coming through the west Baltimore curves and interlockings. Also, it's very close to BWI Rail.

Odenton would be 19 different shades of awesome - it isn't that far from BWI, but free parking vs. $9/day would be nice. There's a curve on either end and its just south of an interlocking (Grove?), so you're less likely to be interrupting a high speed run.

there is still a chance to delay a Acela or regional while stopping at odenton. Bad enough having to catch up to a marc local on weekdays, but damn weekends too! Too many local stops to delay a regional, why delay philly,NYc, and boston passengers for a couple of marc people. many trains on weekends are crowded anyway. On weekends for VRE i don't think CSx would go for it either .

Not really, a regional isn't going to have another regional or Acela right behind it, and there is no MARC traffic, so there should be PLENTY of open slots.

HokieNav wrote:Not really, a regional isn't going to have another regional or Acela right behind it, and there is no MARC traffic, so there should be PLENTY of open slots.

I second that no trains leave Union Station Northbound for the MOST part between :20 after the hour and the top of the hour. That's a 40 minute window.

What we really need is that fourth track.

From NCR to GROVE Interlocking Amtrak trains seem to stay on the center track NB and on the 3 track SB while the 1 track is only usually used for MARC and freight. It is possible to run regionals and acelas on the 1 track and it has happened but Amtrak seems to be content with keeping them away from there (i know it has more speed restrictions and an overall slower maximum speed in most places).

So if Amtrak keeps their little system up with Amtraks sticking with those two tracks then at least for the NB weekend MARC's they could stop platform-side w/o interfering too much or at all.

Davis