VRE and Amtrak Expansion set under $3.7 billion deal

njt/mnrrbuff wrote: ↑Fri Mar 06, 2020 10:19 pm Alexandria can fit every car at the platform closest to the station building. Not sure about the platform closest to the Metro King Street Station.

The island looks like a six-car platform from my untrained eye watching from the Blue Line. (I rarely ride VRE from ALX, even more rarely Amtrak.)

I’d agree that the island platform fits 6 cars. Although I believe it is getting rebuilt for 8 cars + track 1 access within the next year

I'm going to be in Alexandria in May and plan to spend a few hours railfanning at the station. I have been there many times and have observed that eight car trains don't make the platform lengths at Alexandria. I have seen several eight car VRE trains. This will also help Amtrak trains, which many of them operate with at least eight cars. It will be great when the other Virginia Railway express stations on the Fredericksburg Line have platforms on both sides. That will probably help provide more flexibility with railroad movements.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote: ↑Sat Mar 07, 2020 8:27 am I'm going to be in Alexandria in May and plan to spend a few hours railfanning at the station. I have been there many times and have observed that eight car trains don't make the platform lengths at Alexandria. I have seen several eight car VRE trains. This will also help Amtrak trains, which many of them operate with at least eight cars. It will be great when the other Virginia Railway express stations on the Fredericksburg Line have platforms on both sides. That will probably help provide more flexibility with railroad movements.

Can recommend the views from the Duke Street bridge and the GW Masonic Memorial lawn, and also recommend going down to Van Dorn Street Yard to check out the NS power parked there. Hit up me or JDC if you want further recommendations on food and lodging!

Alexandria is an Amtrak station with a low platform.
Like most VRE stations, only 5 cars can fit the platform.

VRE's Gallery Cars can only let off and pick up people at high level platforms while Amfleets can do that at both. I'm sure that the VRE train stations will remain low level for a long time. The Gallery Cars aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:17 pm VRE's Gallery Cars can only let off and pick up people at high level platforms while Amfleets can do that at both. I'm sure that the VRE train stations will remain low level for a long time. The Gallery Cars aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

I believe you mean low level platforms only for the gallery cars. On a related note (with potential run through coming) can the MARC II, III, and IV all service both high and low level platforms?

KTHW
On a related note (with potential run through coming) can the MARC II, III, and IV all service both high and low level platforms?

Based on these pictures of said types, yes.

KTHW wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 9:11 pm

njt/mnrrbuff wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 5:17 pm VRE's Gallery Cars can only let off and pick up people at high level platforms while Amfleets can do that at both. I'm sure that the VRE train stations will remain low level for a long time. The Gallery Cars aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

I believe you mean low level platforms only for the gallery cars. On a related note (with potential run through coming) can the MARC II, III, and IV all service both high and low level platforms?

Yes, they can at the ends. They have traps on them for high and low level. You *will* need a wheelchair lift on the lower platform ones, though.