23-07-14 PHOTOS: Fredericksburg

In July 2023, Virginia Railway Express offered a week of free fares in an attempt to boost ridership. I had participated in a similar promotion in 2022, but instead of a quick out and back to Franconia-Springfield, I took advantage of Amtrak's lower fares to book a return Regional from the near terminus of the VRE Fredericksburg Line. My DC railfan buddy also decided to join me as Fredericksburg offered a quality food and beverage options in addition to a high pace of activity on the CSX RF&P Sub. You can see the full set of photos here.

Planning on catching the first VRE Fredericksburg Line train southbound, My mid-day MARC berthed at the far end of of the track 7/8 platform at the western edge of Union Station. The walk to the station terminal involved passing MARC cab car #8047, MP36PH3C #19, MARC Mp36PH-3C #30 and MARC single level cab car #7761 and #7760.

Down on the Union Station lower lever I saw that Amtrak Capitol Limited Train #29 had arrived on Track #23 instead of the more customary Track 15/16.

The early southbound Fredericksburg Line train would be powered by VRE MP36PH-3C #V53. Luckily the entire train was open and I could seize the railfan window at the rear as we pulled out of track #24 and into the 1st St Tunnel under Capitol Hill.

VIRGINIA tower has been partly restored, but the ivy covering the rear might be bad for the brick work.

Space in the Ivy City Yard is at such a premium that VRE stores one of its trainsets in a purpose built pocket track in CP-VIRGINIA, seen here with VRE MP36PH-3C #V66.

Departing Franconia-Springfield, which until this point had been the farthest south I had traveled on a VRE train on the Fredericksburg Line.

Most VRE stations, like Lorton here, employ a single platform on track #2 since the peak direction operation precludes the need for opposing VRE trains to pass each other. Savings in station construction is a less discussed factor behind the decision to employ peak direction operation.

At Lorton, Amtrak P40DC's #814 and #821 were gearing up for that day's departure. The older P40 locomotives from 1993 are typically assigned to Auto Train service as they feature freight style braking which makes handling the long train of mostly auto-racks easier.

Encountering a northbound CSX manifest freight crossing the Occoquan Creek bridge. This and several other significant viaducts between Quantico and DC will make installing a full third track challenging.

Speaking of third tracks, construction is progressing well on the second phase of the project with a second third track in service between Possum Point, north of Quantico and Arkendale. The new Quantico station is being set up to handle trains on all three tracks.

The next point of interest was encountering northbound Carolinian Train 80 at the VRE Brooke station.

Getting off at Fredericksburg we see cab car #V721 that will soon head off towards the last stop at Spotsylvania before laying up in the storage yard there.

Walking a bit south of the station we caught Amtrak P42DC #198 with Regional Train 95 en-route to Newport News as it passed FB interlocking south of the station.

The old RF&P FB tower still stands at this location.

As one of the RF&P's control cities, Fredericksburg has the third nicest station on the line behind the old Richmond Broad St and Alexandria ("Potomac"). The Princess Anne St overpass also honors the railroads that have used the station, namely CSX, VRE, Amtrak and the RF&P.

Today the 1910 vintage station building has been fully converted into a German style beer hall.

The 1910 station was ahead of its time in that the platforms can be reached by a series of ramps.

Waiting for our return Amtrak train to DC we were first treated to a southbound VRE led by MP36PH-3C #V61.

Next was P42DC #19 with Regional train #125.

When our northbound Regional mostly on time, it became a race to see if we would get to see the passage of the Auto Train or not. Result, Auto Train by a few minutes. Engines were the same P40'sDC #814 and #821 we had seen while passing Lorton.

Our Regional Train #128 arrived with Amtrak P42DC #124.

Arriving back at DC Union after dark to fine the peak period southbound Regionals from up north all lined up with ACS's-86 #632, #626 and #625.

Returning to Odenton via MARC and K-Cab-Car #7852, I got a really enthusiastic conductor making the station announcements.

Just goes to show what one can do with rail transport and taking off work a few hours early on a Friday. Oh, for a little encore here is a video of my friend using the Jessup Camden Line MARC station and likely doubling the ridership for the day as only a pair of trains stop there.