Fredericksburg Line

{{Infobox rail line

| name = Fredericksburg Line

| color = {{rcr|Virginia Railway Express|Fredericksburg}}

| image = VRE train at Spotsylvania Station on January 2025.jpg

| image_width = 300px

| caption = VRE train at Spotsylvania station on January 2025

| type = Commuter rail

| system = Virginia Railway Express

| status =

| locale = Washington, D.C., Alexandria, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Stafford County, and Fredericksburg, Virginia

| start = Union Station (Washington, D.C.)

| end = Fredericksburg, VA

| stations = 13 (1 planned)

| routes =

| daily_ridership = 7,759 (April 2025)

| trainnumber = 300–315

| open = July 20, 1992

| owner = CSX Transportation

| operator = Virginia Railway Express

| character = 2 track main line

| stock =

| linelength = 54 miles

| gauge = {{RailGauge|sg}}

| speed = 79 mph (127km/h) (top)
33.1mph (52.9km/h) (average)

| elevation =

| map = {{switcher

| {{maplink-road|from=Fredericksburg Line.map}} Fredericksburg Line highlighted in red

| Show interactive map

| {{Fredericksburg Line|inline=yes}}

| Show route diagram

}}

The Fredericksburg Line is a commuter rail service operated by Virginia Railway Express between Washington, D.C., and Olive, Virginia. Virginia Railway Express operates 8 weekday trains,{{cite web|url=http://vre.org/service/schedule.htm|title=VRE schedule|access-date=January 1, 2010|archive-date=January 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106085639/http://vre.org/service/schedule.htm|url-status=dead}} and Amtrak trains serve a few of the stations on the line. Trackage is owned by CSX as part of their RF&P Subdivision.

The line's trains get around 7,759 boardings per weekday in April 2025. {{Cite web |date=2025-04-07 |title=Train Utilization {{!}} Virginia Railway Express |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407200306/https://www.vre.org/service/train-utilization/ |access-date=2025-04-07 |website=web.archive.org}}

History

=RF&P=

What is today the Fredericksburg Line was originally part of the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad (or RF&P), a connector railroad between the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio Railroads in Washington, D.C., and the Seaboard Air Line and Atlantic Coast Line Railroads in Richmond. In 1991 CSX absorbed the RF&P and the line is now their RF&P Subdivision.

=Virginia Railway Express=

In 1992 Virginia Railway Express (or VRE) was formed to serve the former RF&P between Washington's Union Station and Fredericksburg, Virginia as well as stations between Washington and Manassas, Virginia on Norfolk Southern's Piedmont Division. In 2015, the route was extended to Spotsylvania.

Amtrak

Along with VRE, many Amtrak trains also utilize this line. Their Northeast Regional trains stop at six of the 12 stations on the line and Alexandria is a major stop for six of their long distance trains.

Expansion

Work was completed on a third track between Alexandria and Franconia-Springfield in 2010. This track enables VRE and Amtrak trains to bypass slow freight trains over Franconia Hill. VRE would also like to add another third track between Powells Creek in Prince William County and Arkendale Road in Stafford County in the near future.{{cite web|url=http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/vres-fredericksburg-line-is-getting-more-triple-track.html|title= VRE's Fredericksburg Line is getting more triple track}}

Stations list

class="wikitable sortable" !State !Town/City !Station !Connections
rowspan=2\|District of Columbia	rowspan=2\|Washington	Union Station	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Acela}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Cardinal}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Crescent}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Floridian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Palmetto}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Silver Meteor}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Vermonter}}, Thruway Bus to Charlottesville, Virginia {{ric\|MARC\|name=y}}: {{rcb\|MARC\|Brunswick Line\|inline=square}}, {{rcb\|MARC\|Camden\|inline=square}}, {{rcb\|MARC\|Penn\|inline=square}} {{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{rint\|washington\|red}} {{Rint\|tram\|link=DC Streetcar}} DC Streetcar: H Street/Benning Road Line {{rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Loudoun County Transit, OmniRide, MTA Commuter Bus
\|{{stl\|VRE\|L'Enfant}}	{{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{rint\|washington\|green}} {{rint\|washington\|yellow}} {{rint\|washington\|blue}} {{rint\|washington\|orange}} {{rint\|washington\|silver}} {{rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Loudoun County Transit. OmniRide, MTA Commuter Bus
rowspan=12\|Virginia	Arlington	{{stl\|VRE\|Crystal City}}	{{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{Rint\|washington\|y}} {{Rint\|washington\|b}} {{Rint\|bus\|brt\|link=Metroway}} Metroway {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Arlington Transit, Fairfax Connector, Loudoun County Transit, OmniRide
Alexandria	{{stl\|VRE\|Alexandria}}	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Cardinal}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Crescent}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Floridian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Palmetto}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Silver Meteor}} {{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{Rint\|washington\|y}} {{Rint\|washington\|b}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, DASH Bus
Springfield	{{stl\|VRE\|Franconia–Springfield}}	{{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{Rint\|washington\|b}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Fairfax Connector, OmniRide
Lorton	{{stl\|VRE\|Lorton}}	{{Rint\|bus\|1}} Fairfax Connector
rowspan=2\|Woodbridge	{{stl\|VRE\|Woodbridge}}	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} OmniRide, OmniLink
\|{{stl\|VRE\|Rippon}}
style="background:silver;"	Dumfries	{{stl\|VRE\|Potomac Shores}}
Quantico	{{stl\|VRE\|Quantico}}	\|{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} OmniRide, Fredericksburg Regional Transit
Stafford	{{stl\|VRE\|Brooke}}
Falmouth	{{stl\|VRE\|Leeland Road}}
Fredericksburg	{{stl\|VRE\|Fredericksburg}}	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Silver Meteor}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Fredericksburg Regional Transit
Spotsylvania	{{stl\|VRE\|Spotsylvania}}

References

Category:Rail infrastructure in Virginia

Category:Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad

Category:Rail infrastructure in Washington, D.C.

Category:1992 establishments in Virginia

class="wikitable sortable" !State !Town/City !Station !Connections
rowspan=2\|District of Columbia	rowspan=2\|Washington	Union Station	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Acela}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Cardinal}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Crescent}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Floridian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Palmetto}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Silver Meteor}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Vermonter}}, Thruway Bus to Charlottesville, Virginia {{ric\|MARC\|name=y}}: {{rcb\|MARC\|Brunswick Line\|inline=square}}, {{rcb\|MARC\|Camden\|inline=square}}, {{rcb\|MARC\|Penn\|inline=square}} {{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{rint\|washington\|red}} {{Rint\|tram\|link=DC Streetcar}} DC Streetcar: H Street/Benning Road Line {{rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Loudoun County Transit, OmniRide, MTA Commuter Bus
\|{{stl\|VRE\|L'Enfant}}	{{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{rint\|washington\|green}} {{rint\|washington\|yellow}} {{rint\|washington\|blue}} {{rint\|washington\|orange}} {{rint\|washington\|silver}} {{rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Loudoun County Transit. OmniRide, MTA Commuter Bus
rowspan=12\|Virginia	Arlington	{{stl\|VRE\|Crystal City}}	{{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{Rint\|washington\|y}} {{Rint\|washington\|b}} {{Rint\|bus\|brt\|link=Metroway}} Metroway {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Arlington Transit, Fairfax Connector, Loudoun County Transit, OmniRide
Alexandria	{{stl\|VRE\|Alexandria}}	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Cardinal}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Crescent}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Floridian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Palmetto}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Silver Meteor}} {{Rail-interchange\|vre}} VRE: {{rcb\|VRE\|Manassas\|inline=square}} {{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{Rint\|washington\|y}} {{Rint\|washington\|b}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, DASH Bus
Springfield	{{stl\|VRE\|Franconia–Springfield}}	{{Rint\|washington\|metro}} Metrorail: {{Rint\|washington\|b}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Metrobus, Fairfax Connector, OmniRide
Lorton	{{stl\|VRE\|Lorton}}	{{Rint\|bus\|1}} Fairfax Connector
rowspan=2\|Woodbridge	{{stl\|VRE\|Woodbridge}}	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} OmniRide, OmniLink
\|{{stl\|VRE\|Rippon}}
style="background:silver;"	Dumfries	{{stl\|VRE\|Potomac Shores}}
Quantico	{{stl\|VRE\|Quantico}}	\|{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} OmniRide, Fredericksburg Regional Transit
Stafford	{{stl\|VRE\|Brooke}}
Falmouth	{{stl\|VRE\|Leeland Road}}
Fredericksburg	{{stl\|VRE\|Fredericksburg}}	{{ric\|Amtrak\|name=y}}: {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Carolinian}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Northeast Regional}}, {{lnl\|Amtrak\|Silver Meteor}} {{Rint\|bus\|1}} Fredericksburg Regional Transit
Spotsylvania	{{stl\|VRE\|Spotsylvania}}