Welcome aboard Amtrak Northeast Regional Train #95 the weekday train from Boston South Station to Norfolk, Virginia! Today we will only be traveling along the section of track between Washington, D.C., and Norfolk. Our train today is led by a GE "Genesis" P42DC locomotive. Our stops along our journey will be Alexandria, Woodbridge, Quantico, Fredericksburg, Ashland, Richmond-Staples Mill Road, Petersburg, and Norfolk all of which are in Virginia.
Unlike most Amtrak Northeast Regional services, all Amtrak trains (including Regionals) that continue south of Washington use diesel locomotives, since the overhead catenary ends at Washington Union Station. Amtrak service to Norfolk, VA is a fairly recent addition to its vast route network, with modern Northeast Regional service being added in December 2012. As of November 2021, there are various Northeast Regional trains that originate in Norfolk that terminate in either New York, Boston, or Springfield and vice-versa. All of Amtrak's Northeast Regional services to/from Virginia are unique in the sense that they operate solely over trackage owned by CSX and NS, two of the largest freight railroads in the U.S. Midwest and East Coast. Specifically in this video, most of the route between Washington and Norfolk is owned by CSX, which owns all of the trackage until just South of Petersburg. The CSX lines that Amtrak utilizes from Washington to Petersburg are the RF&P Subdivision (DC-Richmond) and the North End Subdivision (Richmond-Petersburg). Just south of Petersburg, where most Amtrak trains heading to the South continue towards North Carolina, is where Northeast Regional Trains to/from Norfolk either leave or join the CSX North End Subdivision to join or leave the Norfolk District, a railroad line owned by NS that carries both Amtrak and NS traffic into Norfolk.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the journey! :)
Additional Information:
Recording Date: March 16, 2021
Editing Software: Sony Vegas Pro 18
Leading Locomotive: Amtrak GE "Genesis" P42DC
Train Number: 95
Service Class: Coach
Trip Booked: December 2020
Departure Station: Washington, D.C. Union Station
Arrival Station: Norfolk, VA
Departure Time: 2:35 PM EST
Arrival Time: 7:16 PM EST
Scheduled Travel Time: 4 Hours 41 Minutes
Track Owners: CSX, NS
Railroad Lines Used: RF&P Sub (CSX), North End Sub (CSX), Norfolk District (NS)
Maximum Operating Speed: 79 MPH (127 km/h)
Table of Contents:
0:00 - Boarding
3:35 - Departing Washington, D.C. Union Station
12:21 - Crossing the Potomac River into Virginia from Washington, D.C.
13:55 - Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA/KDCA)
19:11-19:41 - Arriving/Departing Alexandria, VA Amtrak/VRE Station
28:41 - Franconia/Springfield VRE Station
32:32 - Lorton VRE Station
37:00-37:27 - Arriving/Departing Woodbridge Amtrak/VRE Station
49:12-49:34 - Arriving/Departing Quantico Amtrak/VRE Station