A Free Trip on Virginia’s Commuter Rail: VRE Manassas Line 

The Fredericksburg Line is owned by CSX. CSX limits the trains VRE can operate because it is a highly congested line shared by freight, Amtrak and VRE

Wow Manassas is so chill! Nothing wrong with advocating for transit while admitting antique cars are cool! I'm the same way! Pierre L'Enfant...what a guy. The thing about the planning for DC is L'Enfant was simply asked to survey the area and recommend locations for buildings and streets, yet he interpreted that as creating a whole ambitious plan, much more than the simple federal town Jefferson had in mind. People back then thought L'Enfant was crazy, but not Washington! His design was based on European models translated to American ideals. The entire city was built around the idea that every citizen was equally important! The Mall was designed as open to all comers, which would have been unheard of in his native France. L'Enfant placed Congress on a high point with a commanding view of the Potomac, instead of reserving the grandest spot for the leader's palace as was customary in Europe. Capitol Hill (which back then was known as Jenkins Hill) became the center of the city from which diagonal avenues named after the states radiated, cutting across a grid street system. These wide boulevards allowed for easy transportation across town and offered views of important buildings and common squares from great distances

I can see the Manassas station from my home. I rode the VRE every day for years, and it was great.

I live less then 5 miles from here, thanks for showing it off. Its pretty chill even tho some people say its turned ghetto (its not) its not a bad place to live if you work in DC with both the train and commuter busses being an option. Manassas and the adjoining suburbs have exploded in population over the last few decades and has become much more diverse (Latinos are now the plurality for Manassas proper) and there doesn't seem to be any slow downs. I hope downtown Manassas can get more hosing and useful local buenesses as an oasis of urbanism in the middle of suburbia. Thanks for checking it out!

VRE and Metra are the last holdout of Gallery Cars in the US. And, you're right, the travel times are absurdly longer than they should be. Virginia is working on improving that.

i lived in manassas for 3 years. it is a truly terrible place. but i was able to drive 10 minutes to that station, get on the train and sleep overnight, and get off the next morning about 5 minutes from my parents' house. that was nice.

Don't you love trains, trams, aren't they all beautiful :) come take a ride! (at folder 2, look my way)

I rode VRE from Manassas since it started service in 1992 until I retired in 2003.. In those early days the staff and the passengers knew each other which made for an enjoyable commute. One thing you didn't show is the passage through Clifton and the Civil War era embankments that supported the original railroad line and are visible on the east side, just north of Clifton. All I can say is the VRE helped me keep my sanity in the last 12 years of my daily travels to DC.

Rode VRE for about 3 years in the mid-90’s. Cars then were old and tired, single deck. Nice improvement now.

it's so interesting seeing your own city from a different pov, also great video!

These are new gallery cars that VRE purchased and manufactured by Nippon Sharyo. They had previously used Chicago's Metra gallery cars.

It would be nice if VRE could run all day and Saturday as the TRE (Trinity Railway Express) in Texas does. Since tracks are owned by freight, they limit the trains and when they can operate. Of all the commuter rails in America, VRE and ACE Rail in Calfornia has the most limited service.

In June, they have the Manassas Railway Festival

I heard that VRE is also getting Alstom Coradia Multilevels.

I've lived in northern Virginia for most of my life and have taken Amtrak out of Alexandria several times, but never VRE! You've inspired me to take a trip with them sometime soon - potentially to visit my friend in Fredericksburg! I was so excited to hear you moved to DC because there aren't any transit youtubers I know of who regularly make DC Metro content. It's a great system and I look forward to watching many more videos on it from you!

Great video! Glad to see you finally got to try out the VRE experience, and enjoyed it, another slightly more costly trip you could do with them would be hopping on a southbound Fredericksburg line train down to Fredericksburg Station, and taking Amtrak 186 back up into DC, takes a lot longer but gives you plenty of time down there.

Broad Run makes sense. VRE got land out of town to build a yard to hold trains overnight for the morning commute an also a station with large parking lot even though there isn't much there. There wouldn't have been room to hold the trains at Manassas itself (and VRE would have had to pay NS for parking its trains on NS tracks). the Broad Run station and yards are not on NS tracks per say. Interesting that the line is still called the Manassas line.

I will totally replicate this trip soon!! This so cool, very convenient to take this line from the city as a reverse commute, making Manassas a viable sight seeing trip! You’re right, they really should focus on providing more reverse service!

Pittsburgh has, I think they have a trainst somebody told me there saw a trolley on the csx line in coraopolis

I ride the VRE from L'Enfant to Woodbridge (where I live). It takes about 45 minutes. Something interesting is that the VRE goes faster south of Franconia-Springfield where there are only 2 tracks as the third track ends at Springfiled. I don't know why where they are three tracks the speed is a little slower.

Great news for Virginia Rail Fans! The Virginia Rail Authority has purchased the Manassas line from CSX, as well as the the "N" line, to add service all the way to Radford, VA. This will mean that VRE will be able to add trains, and with the new Long Bridge coming in 2030 (hopefully sooner), VRE will have service throughout the day, evenings and weekends as well. In addition, Marc is looking to extend some of it's lines down to Alexandria.

oops, they forgot to login to the train status screen. VRE is working on upgrading its real-time trains status map shown on this screen and on your phone

Amtrak, VRE Duo, money train-some good catches in this one

Cool, I Live Near This Line.

Manassas is where the high school rocketry nationals are held every year, and when my school went we ate at that exact restaurant you showed

2:16 For FreeeeeEEEEEEE?! Got me cracking up 😂 I took a free ride last October from Alexandria to Crystal city

This channel is awesome

VRE should electrify their system, and MARC, too!!

First time I've seen something make a stop on track 3!

I've lived here for 15 years and I've still never been on the VRE. Granted, it doesn't come out my way in NOVA, but still... I should really ride it one of these days, just for the experience. I think I've only gotten to the parts of Manassas that is all strip malls and highway. I've never seen the historic downtown part.

Thank you for this great video ! As you know I am a huge fan of VRE, and I was glad to see that your ride to Manassas was really good. The Gallery cars are maintained to a very high standard, and I really enjoy riding them. Hopefully VRE will be able to increase their schedules, though the Fredericksburg line will be a problem with all the CSX freight. I hope you will ride the MARC lines shortly and let us have your views. Best wishes.

I enjoyed that video👍👍

BTW, Manassas is/was a big hub for the SWIFT international funds transfer network. So not as "rural" as it may seem.

Thom, yes, VRE started in 1992; they did add the Spotsylvania station though in 2015-- which was added adjacent to their storage yard in Spotsylvania County south of Fredericksburg. Interestingly too, the Manassas line started operations in June 1992; Fredericksburg line started a month later. I was fortunate to have been on the official inaugural train on the Manassas line in 1992. Also, while the speeds are slow largely due to the frequent stops not permitting the diesel train to build up speed, and less than straight tracks (alignments mostly dating back to the 1850s-1870s), if you've ever driven the congested parallel interstate highways during the rush hour, when speeds can get down into the teens of mph, going thirty-some miles per hour, while sitting back in comfort on the train can seem quite nice and fast.

Man this is amazing. Especially the door chime Lol.

Really enjoyed this trip and your short walk in Manassas!!! I hope you’ll continue these types of trips and showing us the area. Awesome!!!

Or a tunnel instead of a bridge but I'd imagine tunnels are more complicated and expensive to build but not impossible as the link the Japanese archipelago and England to France.

One time I was trying to get down to Alexandria and I was filming trains at L'Enfant. Some guy asked about the next train and said he couldn't buy a ticket that day, and we found out trains ran free on Fridays through September. It was awesome getting a free train trip on VRE, especially on those classic viewliners.

Cracking video!

are you sure you werent on a metra train wait train is too clean nice job thank you

Great tour! I cannot believe the Crescent Amtrak train arrived first. I'll have to make a point of paying a visit to Manassas someday.

Awesome intro the VRE, Thom! I never knew about it until your videos, and interesting that it has the gallery cars used on Metra as well. That's cool that you were able to see and railfan the Crescent passing through both stations as well. I'm glad you had a pleasant experience on the VRE. Great video, Thom! I enjoyed it.

Unfortuantely a switch issue at Union Station caused delays for Manasas Train 329 and Fredericksburg Train 305 later that afternoon on August 18

For someone who loves seeing anything on rails, your videos are very enjoyable to watch. Your extensive research makes them very informative. I learn something from every video.

Looks MUCH cleaner and more comfortable than Metra. Nice the upper deck doesn't have that miserable side bench seating. Also, from the audio, it would seem that VRE uses round wheels on their cars. Slight drawback is you have to sit backwards going inbound apparently. As you're well aware, after finally approving a car replacement purchase in 2021, Metra will start seeing new cars in the year ... 2024. Or 2025. Okay, eventually.

Nice review. I wish VRE would run trains on weekends to, and extend to more places in Virginia, and add more trains to the schedule, and I would love for VRE to electrify, but I cannot wait for the improvements to come.

Nicely informative video about the VRE. The times I've passed through Washington Union Station I never really thought to ride VRE, but after seeing this helpful video I would make an effort to ride VRE. There seem to be several stops where it would be interesting to get off the train and explore the surrounding area. It's good seeing some gallery cars in operation outside of Chicago. Nice thorough coverage of the cars including the spotless restroom. I never noticed any restrooms on the Metra's gallery cars that run from Chicago to Aurora. However, I wasn't looking for a restroom, assumed those gallery cars didn't have any, and may have overlooked them.

Fun fact: That rust metal tower lookin is an old Electrification which in Legacy Long bridge Used to be Electrified! But now its not 5:33 , BUT, today the line between DC to Richmond is now owned by the Virginia State, hopefully second Long bridge, Fdanconia- Springfield bypass, and third-quad in multiple part of the tracks would be complete, and hopefully we see electrification between DC to Richmond, and its MUCH easier since its own by Virginia DOT.

Sounds just like Metra on the door closing warning

I see that you're a lot more relaxed about meeting fans than me. Personally, I find it awkward when it happens to me, partly because I never really know what to say without ending up making a fool of myself. As for the VRE, it looks like a decent enough service (although I've always thought that the Gallery coaches are an odd design), and Manassas reminds me of some museums here in New Zealand where you can go and explore reconstructions of old-timey villages. One of them is the Taranaki Pioneer Village, which I highly recommend if you're ever in the smaller land down under. They've even got a little railway run by a diesel locomotive with a steam-outline bodyshell. I have a suggestion for a US commuter line that could be worth checking out; SunRail in Florida. They use rebuilt GP40WH-2 locomotives that used to run on MARC (now designated as MP32PH-Q and looking like the MP36PH-3C on VRE, albeit with a narrow long-hood and running boards on each side).

Hi Thom! Thank you for dropping by my town. We have good restaurants and shops downtown. I see that you recorded this on June 30. I was at Sinistral Brewing (on Main at the RR crossing) while you were boarding for your return trip. I used to commute to Alexandria via the VRE. The train took less time than driving there. I too wish the VRE could travel faster between Alexandria and Manassas, but the track has many curves because it follows Bull Run and Popes Head Creak. Speeds increase once you get south of Manassas. Late fall through early spring, I can see the VRE and Amtrak trains from my front porch. A treeline separates my neighborhood from the tracks. Indeed... trains are awesome.

Wow, from what I could see, those gallery cars were impressively polished inside and out; seems like VRE is taking care of their rolling stock. I love towns like these; big enough to poke around in for an afternoon, but still small enough to walk. Another nice adventure to share with us Thom, thank you!

I really hope VRE expands their reverse commute services! I recently looked to go to Manassas from DC to dinner but no inbound trains after 5/6pm. That also means NVA residents can’t take VRE into DC for evening dinners/shows/sports. No trains after rush hour times means DC/NVA is lagging compared to commuter rail in Philly, NY/NJ, Boston.

What is the reason for such slow travel speeds? actual slow speeds? or just long/padded stops at each station to paliate for delays caused by freight? Do the freight railways have a "don't use tracks during rush hour" policy to allow VRA to run its trains on-time or is there a lot of conflicts betwene freight and VRE ? (Amtrak is more all day with no particular peak except for the Crescent and Silver trains in early evening).

Curious about your using "Alexandria Union Station". When I took the Crescent with my bike, I was not allowed to get off at Washington (no "NE Corridor" traffic on long distance trains back then) so had to continue to Alexandria and it was always valled Alexandria King Street as I recall.

The seat pitch on those facing gallery seats seemed really tight; your knees were almost touching the other seat! If two people are seating facing eachother, seems like it would be pretty awkward....

Wonderful video. Love Alexandria and Mannasas looks pretty cool. I can't wait to see what improvements happen to Amtrak Virginia which is seeing record ridership and VRE. Hope it's seven-day a week service, more modern rolling stock with far better acceleration than diesel push-pull gallery car sets and if I'm really dreaming electrification and full intergration with MARC to create a regional rail and what I bill an "intercity-regional" system to complement Amtrak and Metrorail and mesh with bus service as well. I'm glad to here VRE is excited about growing in the future!!

There's a famous civil war battle sites in Manassas called Bull run and bull run 2

Unfortuantely, the Fredericksburg line does not have reverse trains, which would be nice

I'm visiting Alexandria this month. Will it be worthy of my time? Suggestions welcome. Which bus route should I ride for sightseeing?

Excellent Thom. Do they still have the free trolley down to the river in Alexandria?

Never thought I’d see you in one of my stomping grounds. Love Old Town Manassas. Very charming and yes, great food scene.

Is the silver crescent normally pulled by THREE p42dcs?!

I once tried VRE to try commuting to work and found out it took longer than driving 😂 which is sad if anyone knows how bad I-95 is in the morning and afternoon.

Excellent! Be sure and take the free tour of the George Washington Masonic Shrine in Alexandria, it's well wirth it and it's fascinating. Your video captured it.

Looks exactly like Metra... except cleaner

17:40 Is that……..a platform screen door?

16:20 elusive money train spotted!

5:09 I was there on the day of the derailment. My dad and I almost caught an amtrak train out of baltimore and would've taken it straight to Alexandria. We missed it by seconds and just took a marc down. We were made aware of the derailment when we got to Union station. We had lunch, took the red line to Gallery Pl. and yellow line to Kings street Old Town. An hour later, we saw that very same train that we would've arrived on if we caught it.

are there any plans to run weekend service and/or upgrade rolling stock?

What was the deal with track 3? When Lindsay filmed your train arriving, I was puzzled by the fence and lack of platform. And then I saw train doors opened and people getting out through a "door" on the fence. Was it opened by station staff? Is the train driver experienced enough to always align to the doors on fence?

No hate to the VRE, but how are they Express at 30mph? Are they skipping stations?

Right on track Thom! Next can you do Caltrain? I know you’re gonna love it. I’m from the Bay Area and I would like you to review my local transit system. Also, I am jealous because many of our big cities have Union Stations but the Bay Area does not which makes me feel disappointed.

12:53 🙂🙃😀

I’ve never ridden the VRE in my life

My guy it can take 3 hours to go 33 miles in that area by car. So bike or train is the way to go .

Vre isn't typically free. It probably costs $15 per person for a ticket or card.

hey thom I was just wondering if you and Lindsey ever come to Raleigh nc on Amtrak before maybe my wife and I could show you around the downtown area sometime k

Amtrak has caused allot of delays to VRE this summer due to congestion at Union Station and Alexandria

Rolling Road? Wow! As an Englishman I would be obliged to get drunk there (as instructed by G K Chesterton) Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Severn strode, The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road. A reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire, And after him the parson ran, the sexton and the squire; A merry road, a mazy road, and such as we did tread The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head. of course there's more but you get the idea.

Of course VRE has a mobile phone app, so you don't need to use those ticket machines

VRE is planning on building a new Crystal City station, so that it can fit 8 cars with a double platform and with Amazon coming to Arlington, VA

10:49

14:56 👌🚫

VRE did this in hopes to attract more riders. Since the pandemic, ridership has not fully recovered. This is probably because many of its riders are federal workers who still telework 2 times a week. The Free Fridays will end Friday, September 1

How many hours are Amtrak crews allowed to work

30mph avg speed for express service??? Maybe VRE could take one of the locos from that Miami train and FLY. If the Coastal Starlight only needs one loco to get thru THE ROCKIES then why does Amtrak put THREE on a train with pretty level grades?

You said “wiggle”. 😂

30 mph!? you could say that trains slow as manassas

Nice vídeo. Those VA towns are really nice. VRE trains are nice too, but need to improve. Dunno why the Fredericksburg line has no reverse moves. Being European, that's really strange. Also frequencies should be much higher in order to transform this service in a real ootion. The Manassas line is nice but very slow. The speed thing is really an issue, but with the lines belongingo to freight railroads, that a difficult thing to overcome. I'm shure both the alugnments of the old RF&P and Southern allow for Higher speeds, but I don't see their owners spending more in track maintenance, signalling and grade crossing safety. For them Class 4 track might just be enough

They should keep the japanese technology in Houston and let them build a Japanese style Subway and densify around it. (gotta dream a bit)

Excellent video! You give good info, don’t gloss over history & explain specifics; like the Battle of Bull Run AND you’re doing great work by encouraging people to use Trains, use VRE & expand their minds. Welcome to Virginia!

A reason trains may go slow is heat restrictions in summer

As part of the "Transforming Rail in Virginia" plan, VRE will be able to increase service to all day long and add Saturday service. Currently VRE only runs rush hour Mon-Fri

I hate gallery cars. Worst seating configuration ever.

I haven't even rode MARC train and im walking distance to Riverdale MD station. I need to ride VRE.