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OTOL Washington Area RailFest 2015 Trip Report


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 09 April 2016 - 10:13 PM

Trip Report

OTOL Washington Area RailFest 2015

January 17-18, 2015

by Kevin Korell

Chapter 0: Introduction
 
The Washington Area RailFest (WARF) 2015 was our winter event that year. When it was originally planned, we had two goals. We would get our first ride together on the Metro Silver Line, and we also would ride the DC Streetcar, which had missed several projected opening dates but was expected to be available by the weekend of our Fest. Unfortunately, the streetcar was not to be. In fact it would not go into revenue service until late February of 2016!
 
With or without the DC Streetcar, the event would contain one day of riding Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metro (most importantly the Silver Line), and the other day a trip on recently instituted MARC weekend service to Baltimore and just a sampling of that city's Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) light rail and heavy rail lines. Full coverage of rail systems in Washington and Baltimore was not a goal as we had covered the existing systems in previous years.
 
Chapter 1: Preparation
 
The usual internet pages were created, including a homepage and an itinerary. As planning went along, it became apparent by late Fall that the odds of the DC Streetcar opening by the time of our Fest were slim. So the itinerary was adjusted to feature just Metro rides. It was decided to do the Baltimore turn on Saturday, in order to maximize best usage of MARC and the light and heavy rail schedules, and then make our WMATA Silver Line trip on Sunday.
 
One side story of the Baltimore trip would be the need for most participants to purchase a Day Pass to get us through the planned light rail and Metro trips. Bill Magee, who would be coming into Baltimore from the north, coordinated this with Ross, in order to pre-purchase the passes from machines before the main group arrived on MARC from the south. Ross would collect the $3.50 from everyone and give it to Bill upon arrival in Baltimore, whereby Bill would then dispense the passes.
 
We did not solidify where our lunch stop would be on Sunday, as it was thought we might likely have lunch at Tysons Corner Center. An advance trip was even made the preceding September to scope out how to walk between the Metro station and the mall.
 
Also unresolved until close to Fest time was the site of where we would have dinner on Saturday evening. That was deliberated between us almost until we departed home for Washington.
 
Going into our weekend, there was also the big concern about WMATA adjusting the Metro schedules for weekend trackwork. With their intentions not known until that Friday, it was difficult to plan ahead to ensure that our intended trips would be running at the times set forth in the itinerary.
 
Chapter 2: Friday, January 16, 2015
 
Although not an official day of our Fest, folks began arriving into Washington, DC in advance of the weekend events.
 
Chapter 2.1: Getting to Washington
 
While some took trains or flew to Washington Friday evening to be there in time for a good night of sleep before our Saturday trips, five of us were in Washington on Friday. I travelled in the morning on the Acela Express, and then did a few other point-earning trips within the Washington area. Penny Jacobs arrived into Washington that day from Florida on the Silver Star. Dick McCauley, who also lives in Florida, was already in the area but arrived that day on another Acela Express from New York. Preston Holland of Nashville had arrived by air on Thursday and was already in town as well.
 
Ross Kudlick, one of several participants who lives in the greater Washington area, came into town, and the five of us met at Union Station to have dinner at Center Café (now closed).
 
Also arriving into town Friday evening were Chris Wyatt, Grace Burden and Alan Burden by train, Kim Hammond, Mike Hammond, Jishnu Mukerji, and Steve Weagant by air, and Ted Patchell and Stephen Montero by bus.
 
Chapter 2.2: End of Friday's activities
 
Everyone was in place for the start of our official rail travels together starting on Saturday morning, except those who would meet us later in our travels on Saturday.
 
Chapter 3: Saturday, January 17, 2015
 
Day One of our January event saw us travel up to Baltimore on MARC, sample light rail and heavy rail there, and then return to Washington on Amtrak.
 
Chapter 3.0: Meeting in Washington
 
Initially coming together and meeting either inside or directly outside of Washington Union Station's Club Acela were 15 people. They were Grace, Alan, Kim, Mike, Preston, Penny, Ross, Dick, Stephen, Steve, Jishnu, Ted, Chris, and myself. Another local participant joining us was Don Weinstein, who I credit for founding our modern concept of Fests so many years ago. This group headed for the station's Gate A and boarded our MARC train for the trip to Baltimore.
 
Chapter 3.1: MTA Maryland MARC Penn Line, Train #476, Washington, DC Union Station to Baltimore, MD Penn Station
 
The nice large group on a Winter RailFest would get even larger before we got to our destination. We left Washington on time at 9:02 AM. We expected delays en route due to Amtrak trackwork around Odenton, so we expected a rush in Baltimore to make the light rail. We expected Odenton resident Ryan Stavely to join us in Odenton, and he was there waiting to board when we got there. Delays otherwise were minimal at the construction site.
 
However, an unexpected participant joining us at BWI Airport Rail Station was Piotr Dzwonek, who had come down from New Jersey on Northeast Regional #121, and would just join us for the balance of the MARC trip and our first light rail segment in Baltimore before going home. With him our group was now 17. Even with the construction, schedule padding brought us into Baltimore's Penn Station at 9:57 AM, five minutes earlier than the timetable called for.
 
In Baltimore, Bill was there, as well as Maurice Carson and John Corbett. All of them had come down on Northeast Regional #131 from Philadelphia. For those who needed to do so, the Day Pass distribution was handled, and reimbursements were finalized.
 
Chapter 3.2: MTA Maryland Light Rail Penn-Camden Shuttle, Penn Station to University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal
 
Right on our schedule, we boarded the MTA Light Rail at Penn Station, at our peak participation of 20 people. However, this would only last for the duration of the two minute trip from Penn Station to University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal, where we detrained to change to another route taking us to BWI Airport. Piotr returned to Baltimore Penn Station, where he would take Regional #82 back to New Jersey. Therefore, it was then 19 of us who would continue onward from that point.
 
Chapter 3.3: MTA Maryland Light Rail BWI Airport-Hunt Valley Line, University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal to BWI Airport
 
Our second light rail vehicle left University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal on time, headed for BWI Airport. At the second to last station, BWI Airport Business Center, we were joined by Penny's sister Nina, which once again boosted us to 20 people. We got to the end of the line at the airport proper at 10:57 AM, 8 minutes early. That gave people time to stretch their legs, perhaps even visit the rest rooms inside the airport terminal if they wished.
 
Chapter 3.4: MTA Maryland Light Rail BWI Airport-Hunt Valley Line, BWI Airport to Lexington Market
 
Back aboard the same light rail vehicle, we now headed back towards downtown Baltimore, with the passenger load including 20 from our group departing on time at 11:10 AM. Arrival at the Lexington Market stop happened on time at 11:43 AM. We walked the long block to the market itself.
 
Chapter 3.5: Lunch at Lexington Market
 
After visiting various stands for food, most of us ate at its upstairs seating area. Penny and Nina went to have lunch with other family. They would remain in Baltimore to spend more time together while most of us took our scheduled Metro Subway trip to Owings Mills and back.
 
Chapter 3.6: MTA Maryland Metro Subway, Lexington Market to Owings Mills
 
We had 18 folks on this trip, a sampling of MTA's Metro Subway. We would ride only from Lexington Market to the western end of the line and back, missing only several underground downtown stations. Our train came about a minute late, departing at 12:51 PM. With a very slight delay coming into the last station at Owings Mills, we arrived there at 1:16 PM, two minutes late. Concern now set in about us making our tight connection back in Baltimore to the preferred light rail trip to get us back to Penn Station.
 
Chapter 3.7: MTA Maryland Metro Subway, Owings Mills to Lexington Market
 
We remained aboard the Metro car, and prepared for the return trip. As luck would have it, we left on time at 1:20 PM despite our late arrival. As luck would not have it, we lost two minutes again on our inbound trip. We arrived at Lexington Market at 1:46 PM, which presented us with five minutes to walk almost two blocks to the light rail stop.
 
Chapter 3.8: MTA Maryland Light Rail Penn-Camden Shuttle, Lexington Market to Penn Station
 
Whereas seven minutes would have presented us with enough time to make our connection, five minutes did not. The group became separated as we ended on getting back to Penn Station by various means. Making the first train were Ryan, Bill, and Penny (who by this time had finished up with family and was waiting for us to arrive). Ryan and Bill had moved briskly while some of the large group did not make it across the street before the signal turned red.
 
The three of them left on schedule at 1:51 PM, and arrived at Penn Station at 2:00. Their worries were over as they then waited for the rest of us to show up.
 
Chapter 3.8A: MTA Maryland Light Rail BWI Airport-Hunt Valley Line, Lexington Market to University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal
 
The second group, which totaled 16, waited at the Lexington Market for the next northbound light rail vehicle. It happened to be one on the way to Hunt Valley, which we knew would not be going to Penn Station. We boarded it anyhow, knowing we were going to have to wait again for the next shuttle to complete our trip. We left Lexington Market 1:58 PM, and got to University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal at 2:06 PM. We detrained there to wait further for our next ride.
 
Chapter 3.8B: MTA Maryland Light Rail Penn-Camden Shuttle, University of Baltimore/Mt. Royal to Penn Station
 
Several in our group chose to walk the few blocks from there, and the rest of us waited what would be another 23 minutes until our light rail shuttle arrived. We departed at 2:29 PM, arriving at Penn Station one minute later.
 
Bill's reason for hustling for the first light rail vehicle was to be able to ride Acela Express #2251 from Baltimore, which he had caught by the time the rest of us got to the rail station. The other 18 of us would be riding Regional #147 as scheduled. Had the Amtrak train been on time, we would have arrived just 13 minutes before its departure. However, it was running about 15 minutes late, so we had some time to dwell in the station.
 
Chapter 3.9: Amtrak Train #147, Northeast Regional: Baltimore, MD Penn Station to Washington, DC Union Station
 
Our only official Amtrak trip together for this Fest began as we boarded Northeast Regional #147, which departed at 2:58 PM. As expected the 18 of us were scattered among two coaches in order for all to get seats on the busy train. Padding did not make us back some of the time, as we arrived into Washington, DC at 3:43 PM, 13 minutes down.
 
Once there, Bill was waiting for us. Don, Maurice, and Ryan went home. Don and Maurice would rejoin us Sunday, but Ryan was done with the Fest. That left 16 people, who went into the Club Acela to spend some time before our dinner together.
 
Chapter 3.10: Dinner in Union Station
 
Around 5 PM the group of 16 descended upon Uno Pizzeria & Grill, on the upper level of Union Station. They accommodated us with a long table in the back. At first it appeared that two waitresses would be handling our table, but then one left and the remaining one did an excellent job with our large group. Dinner came quick and was delicious.
 
After we ate, I left first to catch a 7 PM Amtrak train back to Alexandria. Soon after, the rest dispersed either home or to their hotels and called it a night.
 
Chapter 3.11: End of Saturday's activities
 
Saturday ended with memories of a long day in which we rode many modes of transit. Halfway through this meet, we looked forward to one more day on the rails together.
 
Chapter 4: Sunday, January 18, 2015
 
Day Two of WARF was our Metro Day, with its highlight being our scheduled Silver Line trip.
 
Chapter 4.0: Meeting in Washington
 
Sunday started out a rainy day. It was of concern to those who were walking to Union Station but it would not affect our Fest plans within the Metro system. The weather would however be a contributor to our lunch plans later changing.
 
Meeting at Union Station before we started out were 15 people. Returning from the previous day were Chris, Don, Steve, Ted, Jishnu, Stephen, Bill, Penny, Kim, Mike, John, Maurice, Grace, Alan, and me. Dick and Preston elected not to join our travels for that day. Ross would join us later. We entered the Metro system well before our scheduled 10 AM start time, knowing we might expect some delays. We would indeed have them.
 
Chapter 4.1: WMATA Metro Red Line, Union Station to Metro Center
 
Our first trip began at 10:08 AM as our Red Line train showed up six minutes after it was expected. That was a big concern given that we had only four minutes dwell scheduled at Metro Center to change to the Silver Line. We arrived at Metro Center at 10:12 AM, four minutes late and likely just as our intended Silver Line train was departing downstairs.
 
We walked to the lower level platform and then waited for the next one. With trains running at 20 minute intervals, we correctly figured we would be there a while. During the time we waited, we saw trains come through on the Blue Line and Orange Line.
 
Chapter 4.2: WMATA Metro Silver Line, Metro Center to Wiehle/Reston East
 
We finally left Metro Center on a Silver Line train at 10:30 AM, 18 minutes past the time we expected to do so. More delays were encountered as we went through a single track area in Virginia on the underground trackage shared by the Silver Line and Orange Line. At the Virginia Square station, we were joined by Ross, making our total 16 people for the trip and for the day.
 
Beyond East Falls Church, the Silver Line branches off the Orange Line, so we had arrived at what we had come for, and it was still exciting regardless of the bad weather. We made the four closely spaced Tysons Corner area stops, and then the long haul to Wiehle/Reston East. We got to our destination at 11:12 PM, 20 minutes after our intended arrival, with the trip taking two minutes longer than it should have.
 
It was here that we made the decision that based on the rainy weather, our lateness, the potential for more delays going back, and the need for some to catch trains to travel home in the afternoon, it would be best that we scratch having lunch at Tysons Corner and all head back to Union Station for lunch there.
 
Chapter 4.3: WMATA Metro Silver Line, Wiehle/Reston East to Metro Center
 
Our inbound Silver Line train left Wiehle/Reston East 11:25 AM. All 16 of us remained on that train to Metro Center, where we detrained in order to catch the Red Line back to Union Station. We got there at 12:06 PM.
 
At Metro Center, Kim, Mike, and Steve decided to take an Uber car back to Union Station to avoid the Metro delays and ensure they would be on time to catch their Acela train to New York. The rest went to the Red Line Glenmont-bound platform to await our next ride.
 
Chapter 4.4A: WMATA Metro Red Line, Metro Center to Judiciary Square
 
Our remaining 13 travelers did not have long to wait for a Red Line train to show up. However, this train was a gap filler running in between the 20-minute mainline trains, and it would be turning at Judiciary Square before the single tracking segment that included Union Station. We elected to take it, even though we would have to change once more. This train left Metro Center at 12:12 PM, and arrived at 12:17 PM.
 
Chapter 4.4B: WMATA Metro Red Line, Judiciary Square to Union Station
 
We were not as lucky with the next wait. It took another 25 minutes standing on that platform before the next Glenmont-bound Red Line train showed up. We boarded it at 12:42 PM, and by 12:44 we had finally arrived at Union Station.
 
All in all, what should have taken six minutes from Metro Center to Union Station ended up being 38 minutes with the two delayed trains and the layover. With people needing to make connections, our decision to head right back and not eat lunch at Tysons Corner ended up being a wise one.
 
Chapter 4.5: Lunch at Union Station
 
Lunch at the lower level food court at Union Station ended our activities together for this Fest. We sat around for a while talking as our numbers dwindled and participants began to leave us to head home.
 
Some would be remaining in the area for another day. Ross, Penny, John, and I later later took a walk on the Hopscotch Bridge and down H Street to observe the DC Streetcar, and it was running in its mock service pattern without customers.
 
Chapter 4.6: End of Sunday's activities
 
By the end of Sunday, many from our Fest were either on their ways home or already there. Several including myself remained in town until Monday, to start heading for home that day.
 
Chapter 5: Conclusion
 
So another winter RailFest was in the books. We made it through some disagreements about meals and the quirks of Baltimore's system, not to mention the annoying service disruptions that Washington Metro goes through almost every weekend. A disappointment had to be that we didn't get to ride the DC Streetcar, but it was not like we just missed it. Spring, Summer, and the entire year 2015 came and went, and in all that time it still hadn't yet gone into revenue service.
 
We did not know where it would be at the time, but we would next meet at the Midwest RailFest 2015 event in the summer, visiting Pittsburgh, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Chicago.



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#2 Long Train Runnin'

Long Train Runnin'

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Posted 26 April 2016 - 05:53 PM

Pretty unimportant, but I arrived Friday aboard Regional 129 not on a bus.

 

Always enjoyable to read fest reports and bring back the memories.  






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