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VRE Manassas Line Service Disruption due Pedestrian Strike 6/28/17


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 June 2017 - 08:04 PM

VRE sent 17 Train Talk Alert messages (as of 7:05 pm) concerning the Manassas line disruption.  Here's a selection of the most pertinent messages.

 

3:31 PM

335 (departs Union Station at 6:10 p.m.) will be canceled tonight due to an earlier pedestrian strike near Manassas Park.

 

335 (departs Union Station at 6:10 p.m.) will be canceled tonight due to an earlier pedestrian strike near Manassas Park.

 

 

3;38 PM

Metro Option is open for Manassas line riders


The "Metro Option" is opened in the event of a cancelled VRE train or some other severe service interruption. In such cases, we work with Metro management to make alternate transportation accommodations for our riders. When the option is opened, VRE customers can use Metrorail at no additional charge by presenting their validated VRE ticket or pass to a Metro station manager upon entering and exiting the system.

 

 

3:49 PM

Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

Manassas Line #327 (Departs Union Station 3:45pm) will depart Union Station on time. However, due to a pedestrian strike near Manassas Park, Manassas 327 will only go as far as Burke Centre at this time. We are contacting the local bus agencies to see if they can have buses at Burke Centre to act as a bus bridge to get people to their final destination station.

 

 

3:56 PM

Update: Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

Manassas Line riders can use PRTC OmniRide Commuter buses to get to near Manassas and Burke Centre (but not to the stations themselves) simply by showing a VRE ticket.

 

Please visit http://www.prtctransit.org/ or call (703) 730-6664 to see where the nearest stop is.

 

 

4:10 PM

Update #1: Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

Manassas Line #331 (Departs Union Station 5:05pm) is cancelled for this evening due to trespasser strike near Manassas Park.

 

Manassas #327 will terminate at Burke Centre. Buses will take passengers to Manassas Park, Manassas, and Broad Run.

 

4:52 PM

Update #5: Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

Amtrak #171 (Departs Union Station at 4:50pm) will take VRE riders without a Step-Up ticket and can drop them off at Alexandria and Burke Centre only. As of right now, no trains can make it past Burke Centre because of a pedestrian strike near Manassas Park.

 

6:13 PM

Update #10: Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

Waiting for investigation to clear incident north of Manassas Park. Train traffic still not allowed to pass through. Trains can get as far as Burke Centre where we have buses going back and forth from Burke Centre to the remaining stations.

 

6:26 PM

Update #11: Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

We have a limited number of buses working to get people to their destination stations. We are told the first bus should be back to Burke Centre in 20 minutes then more arriving at later intervals. We appreciate your patience.

 

6:37 PM
 

Update #12: Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

There may be a slight delay offloading the Manassas #333 at Burke Centre due to crowded conditions on the sidewalks for passengers waiting for buses. Again we appreciate your patience while we wait for the buses to pick up passengers.

 

7:05 PM

Update #13: Manassas Line Service Disruption

 

Our trains can still only get as far as Burke Centre. Once Manassas Line #337 (Departs Union Station 6:50pm) arrives Burke, all passengers will disembark and board buses to their final destination station.

 

 



#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 June 2017 - 08:19 PM

WJLA-TV Washington, DC approx. 4 pm:
 

Officials: 13-year-old girl dies after being struck by VRE train in Manassas

 

 

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (WJLA) - A 13-year-old girl was struck and killed by a VRE train at Bull Run Bridge Wednesday afternoon, the Fairfax County Police Department says.

 

SNIP

 

Officials with VRE say the train that struck the girl was a "reverse flow" train, meaning it was heading to Washington, D.C.

 

Passengers are still on board the train, and can't move until an "all clear" is given by local authorities.  .  .  .

 

Continue here w/photo gallery.



#3 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 June 2017 - 08:23 PM

Fairfax County PD Tweets:

 

 
 

Fairfax Co. Police‏Verified account @fairfaxpolice 56m56 minutes ago

The teen was out hiking w family, a 13-year-old boy & a 22-year-old man.  The two teens were walking on the bridge when a train approached.

 

Fairfax Co. Police‏Verified account @fairfaxpolice 56m56 minutes ago

Crash Reconstruction detectives are investigating the death of a 13-year-old girl hit & killed by a train at Bull Run Bridge near Clifton.

 

Fairfax Co. Police‏Verified account @fairfaxpolice 2h2 hours ago

An investigation is underway near Bull Run Bridge near Clifton after a female was hit and killed by a train. Detectives on scene.

 

Fairfax Co. Police‏Verified account @fairfaxpolice 3h3 hours ago

Media staging area for fatal train crash is 9701 Manassas Drive.

 

Fairfax Co. Police‏Verified account @fairfaxpolice 3h3 hours ago

Crash Reconstruction detectives investigating crash involving a female struck & killed by a train between mile marker 28 & 29 near Cliffon.

 

 

 


#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 June 2017 - 09:18 PM

Fairfax County, VA PD news release, 9:45 pm:

 

Teenaged Girl Struck and Killed by a Train at Bull Run Bridge near Clifton

 

 

Detectives are investigating the death of a 13-year-old girl who was fatally struck by a train today, June 28, around 3 p.m. Our investigation determined the victim was hiking in the area of Bull Run Bridge, near Clifton, with two family members, a 13-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man. The two teens were walking on the bridge when a train approached. The boy was able to get out of the way; unfortunately, the girl could not get off the tracks and was struck.

 

The fire department responded and pronounced her dead at the scene. Our detectives responded to investigate and are working closely with family, our public safety partners in Manassas Park and the railway and railroad companies. The victim was a student at Lake Braddock Secondary School.

 

Railroad tracks are extremely dangerous areas. Trains often move faster than they appear, so do not walk or play near or on the tracks. Cross only at designated pedestrian and vehicle crossings, when it is safe and permitted to do so. Additionally, railroad property is private property; trespassing is prohibited and a violation of law. Please stay off and away from the tracks.

 



#5 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 June 2017 - 09:25 PM

VRE Train Talk Alert, 9:32 PM:
 

Manassas Line Service June 29

 

Thank you for your patience this evening during the service disruption. 

 

While all passengers are off the trains, our equipment is still out on the railroad and not sure when we will get permission to move our trains back to our yard. Depending on when the trains get in, we need to evaluate if the crews will have their mandated rest time in order to operate service tomorrow morning.

 

Our plan is to operate regular service tomorrow June 29 but please stay tuned to Train Talk, Facebook, Twitter and our website for confirmation by 4am Thursday morning.

 

As always, thanks for riding VRE.

 



#6 CNJRoss

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 04:59 AM

VRE Train Talk Alert, 4:01 AM 6/29:
 

Manassas Line Operating Normal Service Thursday, June 29

 

VRE will operate normal service on the Manassas Line today, June 29.

 



#7 KevinKorell

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Posted 29 June 2017 - 12:00 PM

Amtrak trains 19 (Crescent) and 171 (Lynchburg-bound Northeast Regional) were stuck behind this incident and lost several hours.  Train 50 (Cardinal) going the other way and already running almost 2 hours late was held up another 4 hours until the scene was cleared.



Kevin Korell


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#8 CNJRoss

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Posted 30 June 2017 - 09:59 AM

VRE Train Talk Alert, 6/30/17:

Statement on June 27, 2017 trespass incident by Operation Lifesaver, Inc.

 

 

 

Wednesday’s tragic incident involving a teenaged girl killed on a train trestle in Northern Virginia is a sad reminder that being on train tracks and trestles can have deadly consequences. Our thoughts are with this young woman’s family, friends, community and the train crew involved.

 

Operation Lifesaver is committed to protecting families and communities from having to endure these preventable tragedies through our national awareness campaign, See Tracks? Think Train! Our goal is to raise awareness of rail safety – and empower the public to keep themselves safe near tracks and trains.

 

We encourage people to review and share our safety tips with their family and friends to help prevent others from risking their lives.

 

Operation Lifesaver’s Pedestrian Safety tips:

  • For your safety, never walk, run, cycle or operate all-terrain vehicles on railroad tracks, trestles, rights-of-way or through tunnels – they are private property and trespassers are subject to arrest and fine.
  • On railroad trestles, there is only enough clearance on the tracks for a train to pass – they are not sidewalks or pedestrian bridges.
  • The only safe and legal place to cross tracks is at a designated public crossing with either a crossbuck, flashing red lights or a gate.
  •  It can take a mile or more to stop a train; a locomotive engineer who suddenly sees someone on the tracks will likely be unable to stop in time.
  • Trains overhang the tracks by at least three feet in both directions; if you are in the right-of-way next to the tracks, you can be hit by the train.

Learn more at https://oli.org/education-resources/pedestrian-safety

 

 






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