An Amtrak locomotive at a station platform. Photo: Stephen Mease / Pexels
Anyone riding the rails between Prince William County and Washington is in for a detour. Amtrak began a nine-day shutdown of a key junction just south of Union Station after service ended Friday, Oct. 16. Trains are scheduled to resume Monday morning, Oct. 26.
Amtrak calls the project “Pause for Progress.” Crews are rebuilding A-Interlocking, the control point in the First Street Tunnel that routes every Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express train between Union Station and Virginia. Although as many as nine tracks serve the station, only two continue south, and the interlocking sends trains to the right ones.
The work cannot happen while trains run because crews are removing a large section of track. Amtrak’s Greg Michalski said crews will work around the clock for all nine days. Along with replacing the switches, crews will rehabilitate the tunnel’s track base and install modern electric switch systems. Amtrak says the existing switches and crossovers are past their service life and carry a 10 mph speed restriction.
What it means for VRE riders
VRE is still running, but without Union Station. A VRE spokesperson said trains will stop at every station except Union Station, and riders headed into the District can take Metro to and from the L’Enfant, Crystal City and Alexandria VRE stations. That applies to both the Fredericksburg Line, which serves Woodbridge and Rippon, and the Manassas Line, which serves Manassas and Manassas Park. Check VRE’s website for the modified schedule before you go.
What it means for Amtrak riders
Most Amtrak trains between Union Station and Virginia are canceled or cut short. Amtrak Virginia will run limited trains, one round trip between Norfolk and Alexandria and one between Roanoke and Alexandria, with three timed round-trip buses between Alexandria and Union Station. The Carolinian will run by train between New York and Washington and between Alexandria and Charlotte, with a bus connection filling the gap.
Amtrak service north of Union Station, to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, is not affected, and Metro runs on separate tracks.
Why now
Amtrak says doing the work in one concentrated stretch should prevent longer, more disruptive closures down the road. It is also meant to improve reliability and prepare the corridor for more passenger rail service in the future. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is using the same window to advance work on its own projects, including the Long Bridge and Alexandria Fourth Track projects.
If you are traveling by rail in the next week, check Amtrak’s and VRE’s service notices for your specific train.
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