Why no EMUs on MARC?

The currently planned run through service is for MARC trains to proceed past Union Station to L'Enfant Plaza, Crystal City, and Alexandria. VRE trains will not contiue service past Union Station. All MARC equipment is compatible with the low-level platforms that VRE uses. This run through service was proposed in Fall of 2007 as part of MARC's Growth and Investment plan requested by the governor.

MARC Growth & Investment Plan

However, VRE did propose run through service in the VRE Strategic Plan introduced in 2004. They also proposed a future merger of the two railroads. But, at the time VRE had not yet placed an order for gallery cars. Interestingly, while the report mentions cab-signalling upgrades and other requirments for VRE to operate on the NEC, it doesn't mention how it would access the MARC stations with high-level platforms; I suppose they were planning to just run the Kawasakis (which as you know, are being sold) and Mafersas (long sold to SLE) on the NEC. The only MARC line with all low-level platforms is the Brunswick Line (except for the Frederick Branch), and its unlikely that VRE would operate trains on that line. Camden Station, as well as Greenbelt station on the Camden Line are high-level.

VRE Strategic Plan- Potential Network Expansion see pg.87-

Therefore its assumed that the previously planned VRE run-through is abandoned, but that MARC will eventually serve Nothern VA (which makes more sense to me, since MARC has twice VRE's ridership).

The MARC proposal makes sense as well given that VRE already has four-station distribution on the "urban" end of the run, whereas MARC requires all passengers to funnel through Union Station (unless they pick up the Metro at an outlying point). This is a common problem for commuter rail systems, of which really only SEPTA and VRE (and on some MBTA lines through Back Bay Station in Boston) are blessed with being able to directly distribute their passengers to multiple "downtown" stations rather than have to make cumbersome and time consuming transfers once downtown. Nothing sinks the competitiveness of commuter rail like spending more time getting from the terminal station to your office than you do on the ride in from your suburban station!

line. Camden Station, as well as Greenbelt station on the Camden Line are high-level.

damn! damn! damn! how could I be so stupid. Well, i stand corrected. thank you.

octr202 wrote:The MARC proposal makes sense as well given that VRE already has four-station distribution on the "urban" end of the run, whereas MARC requires all passengers to funnel through Union Station (unless they pick up the Metro at an outlying point). This is a common problem for commuter rail systems, of which really only SEPTA and VRE (and on some MBTA lines through Back Bay Station in Boston) are blessed with being able to directly distribute their passengers to multiple "downtown" stations rather than have to make cumbersome and time consuming transfers once downtown. Nothing sinks the competitiveness of commuter rail like spending more time getting from the terminal station to your office than you do on the ride in from your suburban station!

That is a really good point - I would personally benefit from this proposal, as I currently have to take the Red Line to Gallery Place, then transfer to the Green line to get to my office near the Navy Yard (or walk the 1.5 miles, or take the N22 bus). All three of these options average 20-30 minutes. It's a shame that it takes the same amount of time to make the last 1.5 miles of my commute as it does the first ~30 miles.

I think that this would make the MARC service much more attractive - of course the issue is always money. Can't get the riders without spending the money, and you can't get the money until ridership goes up!

A big obstacle to MARC run-through service is that VRE has platforms on only one track at Crystal City and L'Enfant Plaza. These are big employment centers, and MARC commuters must transfer twice (using Metro) to reach them, but without platforms there is no way to have counterflow service at these stations. In the other direction, there are few comparable employment centers for VRE passengers on the Maryland side, and destinations such as Silver Spring and New Carrollton can be reached with one transfer to Metro.

Literalman wrote:A big obstacle to MARC run-through service is that VRE has platforms on only one track at Crystal City and L'Enfant Plaza. These are big employment centers, and MARC commuters must transfer twice (using Metro) to reach them, but without platforms there is no way to have counterflow service at these stations. In the other direction, there are few comparable employment centers for VRE passengers on the Maryland side, and destinations such as Silver Spring and New Carrollton can be reached with one transfer to Metro.

I think VRE already had plans in place to expand L'Enfant, regardless of MARC service. It also wouldn't be too difficult to just build another platform at Crystal City.