Progressive Railroading's Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Transit agencies in Virginia and the state of Washington

VIRGINIA

Virginia Railway Express (VRE)

A transportation partnership of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, VRE operates commuter-rail service between Washington, D.C., and Fredericksburg and Manassas, Va. Service launched in 1992.

Route miles: 89 commuter rail

Rolling stock: 20 locomotives, average age 3 years; 91 rail cars, average age 6 years, plus 11 Gallery IV trailers on order from Nippon Sharyo, with four delivered in August and seven to be delivered in fourth-quarter 2017

Annual ridership: 4.5 million

Annual operating cost: $81.8 million

Annual capital cost: $40.6 million

Number of stations: 18

VRE is preparing a final feasibility report for an Alexandria-King Street pedestrian tunnel to be built between the VRE/Amtrak and Metro stations. The project also includes modifying the eastern platform to allow service from Track 1. VRE is awaiting a right-of-entry agreement from CSX Transportation. The project budget is $10.6 million.

The agency also is working with Amtrak on a $2.6 million joint recapitalization program. Two projects — the creation of a Washington Union Terminal rail service improvement plan and a Coach Yard wayside power upgrade — already have been completed. Work on a Washington Union Terminal canopy roof repair is about 70 percent complete, but Amtrak has spent the allocated budget of $600,000 and now is seeking an additional $300,000 to finish the work; the request is under review by VRE officials. Amtrak also is crafting an agreement with VRE to raise the west platform elevation at the Alexandria-King Street Station, a project that is expected to cost $279,000.

VRE is completing an environmental analysis and preliminary engineering work to expand parking at the Broad Run station. The agency is awaiting Federal Transit Administration approval for a categorical exclusion; design work will begin after approval is obtained. The project will cost $3.4 million.

In first-quarter 2015, VRE plans to begin construction on a $4.8 million Lorton Station expansion to extend the eastern platform and add a second platform. The agency also soon will begin extending platforms at Rolling Road. And, VRE is building a $3.4 million station in Spotsylvania.

WASHINGTON

Sound Transit

A regional transit agency serving the Seattle region and central Puget Sound with express bus, commuter rail and light-rail services. Light-rail service launched in 2009; commuter-rail service, in 2000.

Route miles: 16 light rail; 78 commuter rail

Rolling stock: 11 locomotives, average age 13 years; 58 rail cars, average age 13 years; 65 light-rail vehicles, average age 5 years

Annual ridership: 9.6 million light rail; 3 million commuter rail (2013)

Annual operating cost: $60.4 million light rail; $41.9 million commuter rail

Annual capital cost: N/A

Number of stations: 13 light rail; 12 commuter rail

Sound Transit will continue its major light-rail expansion program during the next year. A 3.15-mile underground extension from downtown Seattle to the University of Washington is about 95 percent complete, while about 30 more miles of expansions are in various stages of environmental assessment, planning and design. The extensions are part of the $13 billion Sound Transit II ballot measure that voters approved in 2008.

Part 1: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Preface

Part 2: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Amtrak and transit agencies in California

Part 3: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Transit agencies in Colorado and Florida

Part 4: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Transit agencies in Georgia, Illinois and Missouri

Part 5: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Transit agencies in New York

Part 6: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Transit agencies in Tennessee and Texas

Part 7: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Transit agencies in Virginia and the state of Washington

Part 8: Passenger Rail at a Glance 2014: Metrolinx in Ontario, Canada