Roanoke is the Best Train Vacation in Virginia


On October 1, 2009, Amtrak extended its Northeast (NE) service from DC to Lynchburg.  Because of its success, on July 19, 2011, Roanoke initiated the Smart Way Connector Bus (www.smartwaybus.com), linking Amtrak's NE Lynchburg Train from Lynchburg to Roanoke (daily) and VA Tech/Blacksburg (Fri - Sun).

Because of these two new services, Roanoke is now the best train vacation in Virginia, one that is very accessible from Washington, D.C., the entire Northeast US, and world wide through easy connections from DC's three (3) airports:

National:  Take subway from airport for two stops to Alexandria Amtrak Station.

BWI: Take short shuttle bus from airport to Amtrak BWI Station.

Dulles:  Take Bus 5A ($6 cash or Smarttrip) from airport to Roslyn and take subway to Alexandria Amtrak Station.

Follow this link for all the details for a Roanoke Train Vacation.


Roanoke: Virginia's Best Train Vacation

College Students are Big Supporters of Amtrak's Lynchburg Train

Since Amtrak started Virginia's first state-supported train on October 1, 2009, by extending Northeast Regional Service to Lynchburg, students have been important supporters of the Lynchburg Train. At the Manassas Station, I regularly see UVA, Liberty, and Randolph students. A conductor once informed me that 350 UVA students had boarded a single Lynchburg Train one fall break morning!

I have also seen at least one student from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.  VT students take the new Smart Way Connector Bus (just started July 19, 2011, and running at four times the projected rider numbers) on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to link with the Amtrak NE Regional train in Lynchburg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRGTFMSEYTc&list=UUp99-k4FwW382x10HvrCR0g&index=9&feature=plcp
Having strong student support will increase ridership in the short term and and long term.  These students will be become the "Leaders of Tomorrow" and, having actually ridden a train, will be in a much better position from their personal experience to encourage future passenger service when decision makers are considering additional service.

Today, May 15, 2012, I had a Letter to Editor published in the Roanoke Times entitled, "Bedford Needs a Taxi Service".  http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/letters/wb/308785.

The letter made the case that Bedford, Virginia, a small city between Lynchburg (east) and Roanoke (west), and largest city in Southwest, Virginia, needs a taxi service to increase vacationers coming to Bedford.

Currently persons arriving on the new (July 19, 2011) and wildly popular Smart Way Amtrak Connector Bus from Lynchburg have two unacceptable options:

1) pay $25 to $35 for a taxi from Roanoke or Lynchburg or

2) walk 1 to 3 miles to their accommodations.

After using a taxi from the Visitor center and their lodgings, a visitor could use a taxi to visit the D Day Memorial (a favorite with Veterans, many of whom cannot or will not drive on truck-clogged interstates), other historic sites, and many small shops. Later rides would take them back to their motels or bed and breakfast locations and, finally back to the Bedford Visitor Center for the return trip in the morning on the Smart Way Connector Bus.  Locals without cars can also use a taxi to doctor's and other appointments and to reach the Connector bus to take day trips to Roanoke, Blacksburg, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Manassas.

Certainly, when Amtrak replaces the bus, people stepping off the train will expect a taxi, or most will bypass Bedford for other places that have taxis.

I have several youtube videos about the Smart Way Connector Bus under the name "trainmandan100".  I would like to do a video on Bedford, but I dare not until they have a taxi service.

New Riders Guide for Amtrak Lynchburg Train and Stations for Carpooling Virginia Tech and Radford Students

• The new Amtrak Train, shown above at Lynchburg , began service October 1, 2009, stopping at the cities or locations listed below and also serving nearby areas.
• These stops and nearby areas are Virginia and Non-Virginia locations where very high concentrations of Virginia Tech and Radford students live.

Amtrak Stops and Nearby Areas Served

A. Virginia Locations

Charlottesville: Albemarle Co

Culpeper: Stafford Co, Fauquier Co, Fredericksburg

Manassas: Fauquier Co, Pr William Co, Loudoun Co, Leesburg

Burke Centre: Fairfax Co, Fairfax City, Loudoun Co

Alexandria: Arlington Co, Nat Airport (Metro), Dulles Airport (Metro, 5A Bus)

B. Selected, Non-Virginia Locations

DC: Arlington Co, Montgomery Co, Prince George's Co

New Carrollton, MD: Montgomery Co, Prince George's Co

BWI Airport: Southern Suburban Baltimore

Baltimore, MD: Greater Baltimore

Wilmington, DE: Greater Wilmington

Philadelphia, PA: Greater Philadelphia

Newark, NJ: Greater Newark

New York, NY: Greater New York, Southern Connecticut, Long Island

New Haven, CT: Greater New Haven

Hartford, CT: Greater Hartford, U of Connecticut

Springfield, MA: Greater Springfield

Providence, RI: Greater Providence

Boston, MA: Greater Boston

The new Amtrak train is a great, cost effective option for VT & Radford students who wish to carpool to Amtrak's Lynchburg Kemper Street Station. However, because very few students will have used Amtrak and the Lynchburg Train Station previously, I have posted this “New Riders Guide” to make their initial trip an enjoyable one:

New Riders Guide for Amtrak Lynchburg Train and Stations

Amtrak Lynchburg Train

Departure/Arrival Times

Leave: 7:38AM (M-F), Train 176; 9:59AM (Sat, Sun), Train 156

Arrive: 8:36PM (M-F), Train 171; 7:39PM (Sat), Train 147); 8:29PM (Sun), Train 145

Travel Times

Charlottesville (1hr,15min); Culpeper (2hr,6min); Manassas (2hr,40min); Burke Centre (2hr,57min); Alexandria (3hr,22min); and DC (3hr,35).

Schedule

Go to www.amtrak.com, “Timetables”, “Northeast, Mid-Atlantic & Virginia Service”.

Reservations

All seats reserved. Reserve at www.amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-Rail.

Cheapest Tickets: 14 Day/Student Advantage

Payment Options

1. Pay at time of reservation, receive bar coded receipt, scan at “Quik-Trak” & print.
2. Do not pay at time of reservation but receive Reservation No., and pay with credit card (“Quik-Trak” machine or station agent) or cash (station agent).

Lynchburg Station

Address: 825 Kemper Street, Lynchburg, VA 24501 Tel: 434-847-8247

On Day of Travel

Check if train is on-time (1-800-USA-Rail or www.amtrak.com).

Departure from VT (First Time)

Leave 2hr, 45 Minutes prior to departure to allow time to find station, park, and pick up ticket (at window or Quik-Trak Machine).

Other Stations

On Day of Return

From Burke Centre, Manassas, or Culpeper (no Amtrak agent or Quik-Trak machine), show conductor 1) ticket or 2) Reservation No. & pay with credit card or cash.

Best Route from VT to Lynchburg Train Station

1. Take Rt 460 to I-81 (Exit 118) and go North on I-81 to Exit 150 (Alt Rt 220).
2. South on Rt 220 to Bonsack (Rt 460) and East on Rt 460 (Lynchburg Turnpike) to Bus 460 (Timberlake Road).
3. North on Bus 460 (Timberland Road), continuing on Fort Ave to Kemper St.
4. Left on Kemper St and park in Free Long Term Parking (24 spaces) on right or park on street (7 spaces, each side of Kemper St). Short walk to Station.

Burke Centre to become Amtrak Station on January 18, 2010!

Thanks to cooperation among Amtrak, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transporation (VDRPT), and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), the Burke Centre VRE Station will officially also become an Amtrak Station on January 18, 2010.

On that day, the new Boston/Springfield to Lynchburg, VA train, which had been stopping only on weekdays (except Holidays), but not weekends, will make its first Holiday stop at Burke Centre.

The following Saturday (Jan 23) and Sunday (Jan 24), the Lynchburg Train would begin stopping on the weekends (Trains 145, 147, and 156).

Now persons in Western Fairfax County, which has one of the highests per capita incomes in the United States, will have the convenience of traveling to and from Washington DC and anywhere that Amtrak and other commuter rail, light rail, and subway services travel.

For example, riders can travel to and from Burke Center daily to Lynchburg, Charlottesville, DC, BWI Airport, National Airport (via subway connection), Dulles Airport (via subway connection to Roslyn and 5A Bus), Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelpha, New York, New Haven, Hartford, Springfield, Providence, and Boston and many more towns and cities!

I expect the Lynchburg weekend train to be very popular with college students, as well as seniors and business travelers.

In the future, Amtrak may even install a "Quick-Trak" machine for printing off reserved train tickets.

Amtrak Corrects Website Map of Northeast (NE) Area in Virginia to Include Lynchburg

On about January 9, 2010, Amtrak revised its website map in the "On-Time Performance" section to include within the Northeast (NE) Corridor Service Area the DC - Lynchburg Corridor.

I had noticed on January 3 that, in contrast to the caption of their maps of the NE Corridor within Virginia, the map itself only included the DC - Newport News Arc, suggesting the absurdity of Lynchburg being located between these two cities. I E-Mail Amtrak about this error and, to their credit, had corrected the mistake in six (6) days.

The question of what trains fall within Amtrak's NE Corridor is a bit complicated. The new DC - Lynchburg train that started October 1, 2009, is actually an extension of existing NE Corridor Service. Therefore, Amtrak considers this new train a NE Corridor train, which qualifies it for cheaper fares, a definite advantage over the Cardinal (Chicago to NY) and the Crescent (New Orleans to NY). These alternative trains, which have been in service for over 30 years, share a common route with the new Amtrak Lynchburg Train (Lynchburg or Charlottesville to NY). However Amtrak considers the Cardinal and Crescent to be "long distance", not "NE Corridor" trains and not eligible for the discounts enjoyed by NE Corridor Trains.

So, it is understandable that, with such a complicated set of definitions, even Amtrak's cartographers can occasionally become confused.

Connecting Amtrak’s Lynchburg Train to Other Cities Via Bus and Van

I am developing a document that explores connecting the Lynchburg Train to other cities via bus and vanpool to increase ridership and reduce subsidies to the point of self-sufficiency by:

1. providing more persons with cheaper access to the train
2. providing opportunities for bus companies to expand their routes
3. providing individuals the option of starting a part time van business
4. allowing persons to sell one of their cars because of bus/van option

This list includes some suggested potential stations and cities that buses and vans might connect through specific transient corridors:

Station	Cities	Routes
Burke Centre	Herndon	Fairfax Pkwy
	Lower Fairfax Co	Fairfax Pkwy
Manassas	Warrenton Woodbridge Loudoun Co/Dulles	Rt 29 Pr Wil Pkwy Rt 28,Rt 7
	Front Royal, Haymarket, Gainesville	I-66
Culpeper	Gordonsville, Orange Ruckersville, Madison	Rt 15 Rt 29
Charlottesville	Staunton, Waynesboro Lovingston	I-64 Rt 29
Lynchburg	VT, Christiansburg, Roanoke, Bedford	Rt 460,I-81
	Amherst	Rt 29
	Rocky Mount	Rt 220

Today, January 7, 2010, Amtrak Posts New NE Train Schedule on Website, but Not Lynchburg Flyer

On January 7, 2010, Amtrak posted a new schedule of its NE Service, including these trains that travel in the DC to Lynchburg Corridor:

Cardinal,

Crescent, and

New Lynchburg Train (145, 147, 171, 156, and 176).

Unfortunately, Amtrak did not post the Lynchburg Flyer, an ongoing oversight on their part.

One can download the new schedule from "www.Amtrak.com", click on "Schedules", and look for one marked, "Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Virginia Service".

"Ridership of Amtrak Explodes" Letter to Editor Appears in News and Messenger, January 5, 2010

Here is a reprint of the Letter to Editor that News and Messenger published January 5, 2010:

Ridership of Amtrak Explodes

Thank you for reprinting Ray Reed's Dec. 21 article in the News & Messenger. He was first to publish Amtrak's startling official performance figures following October's first month of the first daily train in the D.C.-Lynchburg Corridor in 30 years, first subsidized train in Virginia and first direct service in 170 years to points North of New York City.

Mr. Reed reported that:

—Actual Ridership (8,500) was double Expected Ridership.

—Ridership on competing Crescent Service remained strong.

—Ridership (all trains) increased 68 percent (highest in Virginia) at the Lynchburg Station and 37 percent (Fourth highest in Virginia) at the Charlottesville Station from Oct 2008.

—Fares produced 87 percent more revenue than expected.

—Virginia's subsidy was only $48,000, rather than the budgeted $242,000.

Virginia published additional ridership details at http://www.AmtrakVirginia.com, showing that Manassas and Culpeper recorded the second highest (54 percent) and third highest (52 percent) increase in ridership in Virginia, between October 2008 and October 2009.

Such breathtaking performance figures suggest that people are drawn to the many benefits of intercity passenger trains: safer, less stressful, more economical for singles and couples, more enjoyable, and more reliable than driving a car on crowded highways of U.S. 29, or Interstates 81, 66 and 95, filled with too many cars and trucks and too many road-raged, cell phone distracted drivers.

Unofficial November and December figures show rides per day reaching 460 or three times the projected 140! On a recent Tuesday, 25 boarded the morning train at Manassas. Any slowdown in ridership will be countered by the increased promotion at stations and Web sites where persons access the beautiful flyer (see above); and by "word of mouth" from satisfied riders.

During three months of operation, Amtrak cannot meet the demand for schedules at Union Station. Amtrak, VRE and Virginia are considering allowing trains to stop at Burke Centre on weekends. Virginia could soon ask Amtrak to estimate the cost of a feeder bus service from Bristol to Lynchburg. Other bus connections are also being considered. Finally, Amtrak will introduce the more convenient, paperless tickets next year.

Based on initial October official figures and later unofficial figures, we should expect a new day of intercity train travel in the D.C.- Manassas-Lynchburg Corridor!

DANIEL PEACOCK

Manassas

Who knows why Amtrak does not post the Lynchburg Flyer Schedule on its Website?

Does anyone have any theories why Amtrak does not post the colorful promotional Flyer and Schedule on its website where it has posted all of its other flyers, schedules, and promotional material?

Posting the Flyer costs Amtrak nothing and reaches anyone in the world with a computer and internet connection, making it the most cost effective means of advertising the first subsidized train in Virginia.

The State of Virginia gave Amtrak $23,000 to promote the new Lynchburg Train. What is the problem about posting the Flyer on its website for free.

For the past three (3) months, I have been asking Amtrak to post the Flyer but, to date, have received no response.

Can anyone offer a suggestion why the Flyer has been absent from its website since the beginning of the service on October 1, 2009?

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.