Riding VRE

[Tommy Meehan]

I spent the week between Christmas and New Year's in the DC area. Among other things I rode VRE a couple times. I wanted to ride an inbound morning rush hour train and the only way I could figure to do it was to get up v-e-ry early and catch 321 at Union and ride down to Manassas.

I had a couple bad moments though -I bought my tickets the night before in case I was running late in the morning. But when I got on the train I noticed the ticket's expiration date was the same day as I bought it. I thought omg, I'm on a VRE train without a valid ticket! Sure hope the crew are nice about it. Actually when I looked closer I realized the ticket was good until Dec 29 2006. Whew! The two crew-persons did seem pretty nice. (In fact one was even very attractive!)

I rode 321 (dpt Union at 6:25 am) and it was dark out almost to Manassas. We looked to go in there right on time - arr 7:23 - and I was hoping to catch 330 north (dpt 7:27) but! They held 321 north of the station in order to let 330 go first!

I rode the same equipment north - as Train 332. A pretty good load even though a lot of people stay home the week between Xmas and New Years. On the way north we met a southbound coal train with two wide cab NS GEs. I'm from NY and up there you don't see much freight moving during rush hours!

Hey whats the installation south of Alexandria with all the satellite dishes?
CIA? LOL

tommy

[blippo]

It might be Comcast. I know the one your talking about. It's on the west side of the tracks

[davinp]

Manassas Line trains are mostly on time. These tracks are owned by Nortfolk Southern and have less freight and Amtrack traffic then the CSX line.
I'm glad you enjoyed your ride on VRE. Train #321 consists of the old Gallery cars bought from Chicago for $1. Train #330 consists of 5 new Bombardier Cars leased from Sound Transit in Seattle, where the Redskins will play this weekend.

[Tommy Meehan]

Dave the morning I rode 321/332 (which was 12/30/05) the equipment was one of the Sounder trainsets.

Anyone ever taken the time to look at the historical material on display at the old Southern station in Manassas? Small but interesting.

tommy

[VRELackie]

That installation IS owned by comcast!!

If you rode a fredericksburg train you would have run through the Quantico Marine base so that would be the only other "secret squirrel" type place you would have passed!