Ridership between DC and Lynchburg Hits 460!

Ridership for the New Amtrak Train was 300 for the AM run and 160 for the PM run at the Manassas Station on December 27, 2009 (Sunday) for a grand total of 460, the highest number that my brother and I had recorded for a single day. That actual number of riders (460) is over three (3) times the expected number of riders (140) estimated in the June 2, 2009, Agreement between Amtrak and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT).

Push to have Amtrak Post the Lynchburg Flyer on its Website

Efforts continue to have the Lynchburg Flyer posted on Amtrak's website, "www.Amtrak.com".

1. The VA Dep of Rail & Public Transportation (VDRPT) will ask Amtrak about the oversight.
2. I am awaiting a response to my recent Certified Mail letter request to post the Flyer.
3. A Manager at Union Station has also made a request to have the Flyer posted.

Hopefully, the flyer will be posted soon. It costs Amtrak nothing and reaches the world.

Amtrak’s Lynchburg-DC Line Beats Projections First Month [October 2009]

Ray Reed, Lynchburg News-Advance, wrote a story, Dec 16, 2009. The News and Messenger, the local Manassas and Prince William Co paper, reprinted it Dec 21.

Article Highlights:

• Actual Ridership (8,500) was double Expected Ridership in 1^st month of operation, October 2009.
• Ridership on the competing Crescent Service between DC and Lynchburg was also strong, though the normal fare on the Crescent ($78) is double that of the new train ($38).
• Ridership at Lynchburg Station (new train and Crescent) increased 68% from October 2008.
• Ridership (both trains) at Charlottesville Station increased 37% from October 2008.
• Fares produced 87% more revenue than expected.
• Virginia’s subsidy was only $48,000, rather than the budgeted $242,000.
• Amtrak extended its reduced, one way, regular DC to Lynchburg fare of $38 on the new train through Mach 2010.
• Trains were on time 75% of the time.
• Kevin Page, Chief of Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT), said that “A better indicator of performance will be known after the train has operated for three full months….”

My Commentary:

• Amtrak’s official figures for performance for the first month (October 2009) of operation are truly breathtaking.
• My sources for unofficial ridership figures for November and December suggest that ridership is still strong.
• The expected slowdown in the winter months will be countered by the increased promotion of the service

1. at stations and websites where persons can access the beautiful flyer and,

2. by “word of month” as satisfied riders spread the word of this cost effective, safe, convenient, less stressful, alternative to driving one’s car through the US 29/I-81/I-66/I-95 Corridors.

Status of Flyers at Stations: DC to Lynchburg

Since the start of the new Amtrak Service to Lynchburg on October 1, 2009, my brother, Richard, and I, have worked tirelessly to insure that the colorful Flyer promoting the new train is displayed at all stations. Many stations were either not receiving an adequate supply of flyers or were not displaying them.

Now I can report that all Stations between DC and Lynchburg currently display the flyers:

Union Station, Alexandria, Manassas, Culpeper, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg.

Until recently, Amtrak was slow to send flyers when requested. At Manassas and Culpeper, they waited weeks. To bridge the gap, Richard and I begged flyers from another station and provided them in person (Manassas) or by mail (Culpeper).

Today, I interviewed the Station Manager at Union Station. He recognized that this new service is very popular. The Local Lynchburg paper is reporting that the ridership for the 1st month of operation (October 2009) was double the projected number. The Station Manager promised:

1. to ask station under his control to stock the flyer at all times,
2. to request that Amtrak post a downloadable version of the Flyer on its website,
3. to request the posting of monthly ridership figures on its website and/or that of DRPT, and
4. to investigate the possibility of sending the flyers to Visitor Centers in the train corridor, especially Lexington and Staunton.

The Station Manager seems to be committed to making the new service more widely known. As I pointed out to , this train is the first new one in the Corridor in at least 30 years and the first one in 170 years to run directly to Boston. People are literally discovering, for the first time, the available of inexpensive, reliable, and safe trains, with more stops (like BWI Airport) than the Cardinal and The Crescent. It's a heady time for rail advocates!

Display of Flyers at Charlottesville and Lynchburg Stations Confirmed Personally

Last week I sent a Survey to the Station Managers of these two stations to determine 1) if they were receiving adequate numbers of the Lynchburg Flyer, a major vehicle for promoting the new Lynchburg to Boston/Springfield Service and 2) if they were displaying these flyers at their stations.

I sent these surveys because of past reports that the Charlottesville Station, at one time, was not displaying the Flyer and because I had not been able to visit either station personally.

Last week, I talked to one individual waiting for the new train in the Manassas Station Waiting room who thought that she had seen the Flyer displayed at the Charlottesville Station and had talked to one conductor who reported seeing the Flyer displayed at the Lynchburg Station.

On Tuesday, December 15, 2009, Richard Peacock, Secretary of the Virginia Association of Railway Passengers (VARP) personally visited both stations and reported that both currently had adequate supplies of the Flyer and were displaying them.

Bottomline:

At present, all stations, both staffed and non-staffed, except Washington DC’s Union Station, the 2nd busiest station in the US, display the flyers.

Next Steps:

On Thursday, Richard Peacock and I will visit Union Station to request the Station Manager to display the Flyer where the Station displays other Amtrak flyers.

Three Suggestions for a Name to New Lynchburg Train

A train name would 1) make it easier to remember and 2) provide it an identity.

Saying “I am taking the 171, 145, 147, 156, or 176.” satisfies neither goal.

I have three suggestions to brand the New Lynchburg Train:

1. Blue Ridge

The name fits because the train travels in the extended shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a well known, ancient feature in Virginia and the United States.

2. Blue Ridge Link

Adding “Link” suggests this “Blue Ridge” train will “link” trains past and future to current places North, East, South, and West.

3. Blue Ridge Boston [BRB, for short]

Adding “Boston”, suggests that this “Blue Ridge” train will link to “Boston”, a place known as firmly set in Northeast US, where this service originates.

2nd Possible Bus Connection: Pikeville, KY, via VA Tech, to Lynchburg

I have just learned of a another possible bus link from VT to Lynchburg, connecting with the train. The bus would go from Pikesville, Ky, via VA Tech (Blacksburg) to Roanoke and Lynchburg. As an interstate route operated in a underserved area, the bus company would be eligible for a Federal grant and possibly no need for State funds. This is the second possible bus link. The other would be the one from Bristol to Lynchburg.

Links to Download and Print New Amtrak Lynchburg Train Flyer

Use the following links to download and print copies of the flyer:

www.varprail.org and

www.Cvillerail.com

You can also view the flyer on this blog.

Amtrak's Washington Union Station Needs Lynchburg Flyer

Currently, all stations between Washington DC(except Union Station)display the Lynchburg flyer: Alexandria, Manassas, Culpeper, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg.

This week, my brother and fellow VARP and CvilleRail member, Richard, and I will "drop by" Union Station and attempt to talk to the Station Manager.

We will request that Union Station display the Lynchburg Flyer wherever they display other Amtrak schedules and promotional literature.

Union Station is the 2nd busiest passenger train station in the United States.

Establishing Bristol to Lynchburg Bus Connection

Goal 2 of this blog establishs a VA Tech to Lynchburg Bus Connection.

The 6-2-2009 Amtrak-VA Agreement [Sec 1(f)]has a process to fulfill this goal.

Step 1

If:

VA requests Amtrak to provide it with a cost/revenue estimate of adding a Bristol to Lynchburg bus connection,

then:

Amtrak must provide VA a cost/revenue estimate of the connecting bus.

Step 2

If:

VA elects to fund the bus connection and notifies Amtrak,

then:

Amtrak must sign a contract in 120 days with a bus company to operate the connecting bus [and to begin service according to the contract].

Note:

VA should request Amtrak to do a separate cost/revenue estimate for the VT - Lynchburg portion of the Bristol - Lynchburg bus connection because it will be much more cost effective and, therefore, more likely to be funded.

Pictures of Boston to Lynchburg Flyer

Here are 2 pictures showing 4 of the 6 panels of the Boston to Lynchburg Flyer.

Best Communications Tool: The Boston – Lynchburg Flyer

This flyer that Amtrak and Virginia created is the best tool to inform potential riders of the new train because it is colorful, attractive, persuasive, readable, versatile, and fits conveniently into a shirt pocket. See 2 pictures

In addition to a detailed schedule, the schedule has colorful pictures of the VA countryside, Amtrak trains, and interesting facts to encourage ridership.

The primary uses of the flyer would be 1) at stations, visitor centers, other public places (libraries, university and transportation centers) and 2) on the worldwide web as a downloadable pdf file and available to anyone with a computer and internet connection.

Purpose of Amtrak Train: DC to VT Blog

The purpose of this "Amtrak Train: DC to VT" Blog is to preserve and increase Amtrak train service from Washington DC to the Virginia Tech (VT)Corridor by 1) insuring that Amtrak's new 3 year experimental train from DC to Lynchburg, which started October 1, 2009, becomes permanent; 2)encouraging an interim connecting bus service from Lynchburg to Roanoke and Christiansburg (near Virginia Tech); and 3) encouraging the replacement of that interim bus service with permanent Amtrak train service.