VRE considering selling more cars

Matt Johnson wrote:...but why did they decide on gallery cars? I thought passengers hated those things!

Passenger's definitely do hate them. I've noticed that passengers on MARC's Brunswick Line (the only line that operates MARC's few gallery cars), will typically boycott them and try to cram in the more comfortable single level cars (usually the cab car). VRE's "new" gallery cars however, apparently have more creature comforts such as high-backed seats (definitely a major plus) and next station LED displays.

The main reason why they chose gallery cars though, is because they provide easier access to low-level platforms, which is all VRE (and nearly all the other systems outside of the Northeast) uses, unlike MARC and other the Northeast systems, which use a mix of high and low platforms. It probably gets tiresome for conductors to have to open the trapdoors of the Kawasakis at every station, especially since most VRE trains are 6-8 cars long.

But then again Bombardier bi-levels are low-level only, way more comfortable than gallery cars, are more popular with riders, and have better access for the disabled. Maybe VRE didn't have enough $$$...

The new Gallery cars are definitly more comforatble than the older ones in service now.

I still prefer the Kawasaki cars. The conductors don't have to open all of the trap doors. A few of the cars have the manual trap doors, but in most of the cars the trap doors open automatically. The only problem is sometimes the passengers do not stay inside the car and step out into the vestibule before the doors open all the way, when this happens the trap door does not open.

The reason VRE purchased the new gallery cars is because they had put out a request for bids to allow companies to compete for the contract. The only response they received was from Sumitomo Corp. So they only had one choice.

I am not sure why no one else responded.

As for the reason for selling such young cars, VRE points to some of the upcoming costs for maintence, and also the possibility of replacing the Kawasakis with Gallery cars, thereby standardizing the fleet and reducing maintence cost since a lot of the parts from the old and new Gallerys are interchangeable.

VRE to purchase more(10) new gallery cars!?:

http://vre.org/about/procurement/rfp_08 ... lcars.html

Apparently the original 58 were not enough. This is a real shocker considering VRE's relatively low weekday ridership around (13,000). Plus, its the only comuter rail service in the entire United States to have a decline in ridership from 2006 to 2007.

realtype wrote:VRE to purchase more(10) new gallery cars!?:

http://vre.org/about/procurement/rfp_08 ... lcars.html

Apparently the original 58 were not enough. This is a real shocker considering VRE's relatively low weekday ridership around (13,000). Plus, its the only comuter rail service in the entire United States to have a decline in ridership from 2006 to 2007.

Perhaps VRE is looking into expanding service? I don't know VRE well, but seeing that they currently operate a skeletal rush hour schedule (which is the reason as to why I haven't tried riding it) with very slow service, perhaps new cars are a sign that there are plans to add another train or two to attract more passengers. That, or perhaps they want to standardize their fleet and get rid of their old gallery cars.

realtype wrote:VRE to purchase more(10) new gallery cars!?:

http://vre.org/about/procurement/rfp_08 ... lcars.html

Apparently the original 58 were not enough. This is a real shocker considering VRE's relatively low weekday ridership around (13,000). Plus, its the only comuter rail service in the entire United States to have a decline in ridership from 2006 to 2007.

I am assuming this RPF has to do with the potential sale of the Kawasaki cars. VRE has said they will replace the 13 Kawasakis with 10 Gallery cars if the sale does go through. They are probably going to use the resposnses from this RFP and the offers from the other transit agencies interested in purchasing the Kawasakis to determine if it makes sense economically to pursue this transaction.

VRE's decline in ridership from 06-07 was probably because of poor OTP. The railroad is very congested and was undergoing many inprovements. All of which were finished in 2007. Also, in 07 CSX was much more relaxed with the heat restrictions, and the OTP for the summer of 07 was leaps and bounds above previous years. Accoding the the March 2008 CEO report, the average daily ridership has rebounded to 2006 levels of 14,446 average daily trips.

If VRE can keep improving its OTP and the price of gas keeps going up, it would be smart to start preparing for more increases in ridership.

i was riding the metro to the New York Avenue stop and i saw there are around six or seven of the older gallery cars (black and red paint) sitting there in the MARC mini yard at Union Station as of 4/29. Are these just there for the short term or is VRE storing them there for a return to service in the event they sell the kawasakis?

also, ive been hearing rumors of VRE building two storage tracks near the L'Enfant station. true or false?

vreenthusiast01 wrote:i was riding the metro to the New York Avenue stop and i saw there are around six or seven of the older gallery cars (black and red paint) sitting there in the MARC mini yard at Union Station as of 4/29. Are these just there for the short term or is VRE storing them there for a return to service in the event they sell the kawasakis?

also, ive been hearing rumors of VRE building two storage tracks near the L'Enfant station. true or false?

I saw them yesterday morning and afternoon as well, but don't remember seeing them this evening (Wed.). If they are still there its highly unlikely they will remain there for long; MARC has almost exclusive use of that yard. They actually might be the cars the Nashville Music City Star (a new startup commuter service that also uses old gallery cars) purchased from VRE, and are waiting to be transported over there.

I do know that VRE was building a single bypass track at L'Enfant for freight trains, which I think may be complete by now, but I don't know about a storage yard. I don't know why VRE would need a storage yard there anyway.

vreenthusiast01 wrote: also, ive been hearing rumors of VRE building two storage tracks near the L'Enfant station. true or false?

Yes, VRE did build a storage track near L'Enfant

http://www.vre.org/about/Ops_board_item ... PT_MOU.pdf

The track was recently finished, I was not able to find the VRE update mentioning it, but I will post a link if I find it. The VRE update had an article letting passengers know when they would be cutting in the new track, and that there may be delays. So I know it is finished, however, it is not being used.

According to the link, the main purpose of this storage track is to allow at least 2 VRE trains to be stored there and still able to operate in the event there is a situation in DC that prevents VRE from getting the trains out. VRE received some money from homeland security for this project.

Also, I think VRE intends to use these tracks to increase capacity. Since there is no more available storage at union station, when VRE is able to add more trains there is no where to store them. Therefore, they will terminate 2 of their trains at L'Enfant, since the majority of people going to DC get off there, and keep those trains at the new storage track.

thanks. damn! vre getting money out of the government?! a miracle!