VRE’s Legislation Appreciation Reception
2
Performance
3
Reasons for Delays – Graph
On Time Performance
Ridership Update
Monthly Citation Update
On Time System Performance Chart
On Time Performance by Line Chart
Ridership Table
Train Utilization Chart – Fredericksburg
Train Utilization Chart – Manassas
Parking Utilization Chart
Financial Report
Rail Operations
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
14
Safety
General Information
Legislative Update
Capital Projects
Alexandria
Spotsylvania
Franconia/Springfield
Lorton Station
Gainesville
Long Bridge Update
Railcar Acquisition and Production
Capital Project Summary
1
16
17
18
19
As of the writing of
o this report, VRE
V is preparingg to host its thirrd Legislative AAppreciation Reception in Richm
mond. The event gives us the
chaance to bring a VRE train to Richmond
R
so that legislators, their
t
staff and others can see our equipmennt up close. Meembers of the
Genneral Assembly then have a bettter idea of whaat they are invessting in and whaat VRE means too the Commonwealth of Virginiaa.
Thiss year the VRE Operations Boaard will also reccognize two members of the General Assembly for their longg time support for VRE. State
Sennator Charles Colgan and Deleggate Joseph May are the first recipients
r
of the VRE Appreciation and Leaderrship Award. At the reception
eacch member will be presented with
w a mounted model
m VRE train set.
We wish to thank Senator
S
Colgan and Delegate May,
M as well as the many, many members of thhe General Asseembly who support and assist
VREE in achieving thhe success that we have today.
2
Reasonss for Delays
SSignal/Switch FFailure ‐ 12
O
Other ‐ 10
A
AMTRAK Interfference ‐ 9
V
VRE Interference ‐ 8
SSlow Orders ‐ 7
7
FFreight Interferrence ‐ 3
M
Mechanical Faiilure ‐ 3
P
Passenger Handling ‐ 3
W
Weather ‐ 2
LLate Turn ‐ 1
Onn Time Perforrmance
Jannuary continuedd the trend of performance
p
abbove 96% with the overall monnthly performance now toppinng 95% or better for sixteen
connsecutive monthhs. That is withoout question thee highest and moost consistent pperformance thhat VRE has prodduced in our 200 year history.
As for individual linne performancee, the Fredericksburg line camee in at 96.4% annd the Manassaas line reported a final tally of 996.3% for the
month of January.
Loooking at the chaart above you’ll see that I havee reformatted thhe monthly delaay report to proovide a clearer picture of the causes of the
delays that VRE enncountered durring the month of January. For the month of January, switcch/signal failurre were the leading cause of
delays followed byy other (that is comprised this month of a bruush fire, and sccheduling/running time). What I need to emphhasize here is
youu’ll see 58 delays during the month
m
but only a total of 23 laate trains in Jaanuary. The reaason for that iss that a train m
may encounter
sevveral delays durring its operation which may or
o may not cauuse it to be latee. For instance, a train could bbe late leaving Union Station
waiiting for anotheer train to depart the station. During the courrse of its run itt could also enccounter a signaal issue, yet stilll arrive at its
finaal destination “on
“ time”. Thatt train experiennced two delayys but was nott “LATE” (arrivving at its finall destination laater than five
minnutes).
3
Onn Time Perforrmance (Conntinued)
SYSTE
EM-WIDE
Total delaays
Average length of delay (mins.)
(
o 30 minutess
Number over
Days withh heat restrictioons/Total days
On-Time Performance
P
FREDER
RICKSBURG LINE
Total delaays
Average length of delay (mins.)
(
o 30 minutess
Number over
On-Time Performance
P
MANAS
SSAS LINE
Total delaays
Average length of delay (mins.)
(
o 30 minutess
Number over
On-Time Performance
P
NOV
VEMBER
28
31
4
0/20
95%
DECEMBER
14
37
6
0/19
98%
JJANUARY
23
34
8
0/21
96%
13
41
3
95%
8
43
3
97%
11
52
6
96%
15
20
1
95%
6
28
3
98%
12
18
2
96%
Riddership Updaate
Aveerage daily ridership for Januaary 2013 was higher than Januuary 2012. That is a very positive sign. The tabble below showss that we did
neaarly 400,000 paassenger trips in January, a number
n
that we have not achieeved prior to thhis month. Equaally impressive was that we
reccorded our secoond highest rideership day everr on January 299th (21,285) and that we postedd nine days over 20,000 during the month.
Thaat means that 43%
4 of our operational days we
w posted riderrship above 20,000. Beyond thhose statistics, January 2013 wwas also the
seccond highest farre revenue month in the historyy of VRE, anotheer very positive indicator of our service.
RIDERSH
HIP MONTH TO MON
NTH COMP
PARISON
DESCR
RIPTION
MO
ONTHLY RIDE
ERSHIP
January
J
2013
397.936*
January
J
2012
391.184
SERVICE
S
DAYS (CURRENT/PRIOR)
(20/21)
PERCENT CHANGE
-4%
% Normalizzed
*Am
mtrak Cross Honnor numbers arre estimations
4
Moonthly Citatioons Update
VR
RE ACTION
NS
Waived- Passenger showed proof of a monthly ticcket
Waived- Per the reequest of the isssuing conductorr
Waived- Due to deffective tickets or
o TVM
TO
OTAL
OC
CCURANCE
ES
21
1
0
22
For the month of Januaary, VRE issued a total of 103
citationns. That is about 10% more than January
2012. Off those 103 citaations issued, VVRE waived 22
of them
m for our riderss. That means tthat 21% of all
citationns issued duringg the month weere waived by
VRE.
Of tthe remaining 81
8 citations, 8 were
w found not guilty, 9 were dismissed and 9 were continuued. This means that 68% of people issued
citaations were found guilty of violaating VRE’s faree evasion policy.
I thhink it is important for VRE to remain vigilant in its ticket enfforcement. We have successfuully prosecuted a fraudulent ticket case and
noww we have another one on the docket for Apriil. Only through persistent tickket checks will wwe be able to fiind those individduals who are
atteempting to ride VRE with counterfeit or frauduulent tickets.
Fare
e Evasion Court Actionss
Guuilty in Absentia ‐ 26
Preepaid Prior to Court ‐ 24
Dissmissed ‐ 9
Coontinued to Neext Court Date ‐ 9
Noot Guilty ‐ 8
Guuilty ‐ 5
5
O
On-Tiime Perforrman
nce
System Perfor
P rmancee
Januuary 2010 – January 20013
10
00.00%
9
95.00%
9
90.00%
8
85.00%
8
80.00%
7
75.00%
7
70.00%
6
65.00%
6
60.00%
5
55.00%
5
50.00%
4
45.00%
System
m
Trendline
6
O
On-Tiime Perfor
P
rman
nce
Peerform
mance bby Linee
January 20100 – Jannuary 22013
10
00.0%
9
95.0%
9
90.0%
8
85.0%
8
80.0%
7
75.0%
7
70.0%
6
65.0%
6
60.0%
5
55.0%
5
50.0%
4
45.0%
Frederricksburg
Manasssas Line
Frederricksburg Trendline
Manasssas Trend
dline
7
R
Rideersh
hip
Januaary
Da
ate
Manassas AM
M Manassas PM Total
T
Manassas
Acttual OTP TD
Fred
d'burg AM
Fred
d'burg PM
Fred'b
burg Total
Actual OTP
O
TD Total Trips
Actual OTP TD
1
2
7
4,417
4,200
8,617
100%
4,722
4,586
9,308
100%
5
17,925
100%
3
4,630
0
4,511
9,141
88%
5,173
5,150
10
0,322
100%
19,464
4
93%
4
4,380
0
3,614
7,994
94%
4,285
4,363
8,649
100%
16,643
3
97%
7
4
4,714
4,339
9,053
100%
5,149
5,033
10
0,181
100%
19,234
4
100%
8
4,794
4
4,784
9,578
100%
5,392
5,486
10
0,878
100%
20,455
5
100%
9
4,873
3
4,711
9,584
100%
5,350
5,486
10
0,835
100%
20,420
0
100%
10
4,761
1
4,909
9,670
100%
5,167
5,226
10
0,393
100%
20,064
4
100%
11
4,056
6
3,742
7,799
100%
4,015
4,047
8,063
100%
15,861
100%
14
0
4,930
4,629
9,559
100%
5,128
4,819
9,948
100%
19,506
6
100%
15
5,046
6
4,930
9,976
100%
5,173
5,401
0,574
10
100%
20,550
0
100%
16
4,905
5
4,879
9,784
88%
5,326
5,343
10
0,669
93%
20,452
2
90%
17
4,689
9
4,106
8,796
100%
4,790
5,163
9,954
100%
18,750
0
100%
18
3,716
6
3,785
7,501
100%
4,027
4,334
8,361
100%
15,862
2
100%
22
3
4,633
5,016
9,649
100%
5,155
4,909
0,064
10
93%
19,714
4
97%
23
4,764
4
4,912
9,676
100%
5,492
5,200
10
0,692
100%
20,368
8
100%
24
4,315
5
4,248
8,564
75%
3,723
3,895
7,618
57%
16,182
2
67%
25
3,751
1
3,781
7,532
88%
4,260
4,231
8,491
100%
16,022
2
93%
28
2,677
7
3,202
5,879
100%
3,437
3,842
7,279
100%
13,158
8
100%
29
5,005
5
5,181
10,186
100%
5,721
5,377
11
1,099
93%
21,285
5
97%
30
4,865
5
4,840
9,705
100%
5,368
5,114
10
0,483
100%
20,188
8
100%
4,716
6
5,050
9,765
94%
5,264
5,405
10
0,669
86%
20,434
4
90%
94,638
8
93,369
188,008
96%
102,117
102,411
96%
392,536
6
96%
Amtrak Trains:
400
209,528 Adjusted
d Total:
397,936
6
5
6
12
13
19
20
21
26
27
31
Adjusted total:
# of Service Days:
Manassas
s Daily Avg. Trips:
Am
mtrak Trains:
188,408
Adjjusted Total:
21
Total Trips This
T
Month:
204,528
5,000 **
397,936
usted Avg.:
8,953 Adju
8972
Prior To
otal FY-2013:
Fred'burg
g Daily Avg. Trips:
9,739 Adju
usted Avg.:
9978
Total Trips FY-2013:
2
2,658,344
Tota
al Avg. Daily Trips:
18,692 Adju
usted Avg.:
Total Prior
P
Years:
5
57,778,565
18,949
9
G
Grand
Total:
Adjusted
d Total:
2,260,408
60
0,436,908
Note: Adjusted Ave
erages & Totals in
nclude all VRE triips taken on Amttrak trains, but do
o not include "S" schedule days.
* designates "S" scchedule day
** Amtrak
A
Cross Ho
onor Numbers are
e estimates
8
397,936
6
T
Train Utilizzation
n
Freddericcksbuurg Line
Januuary 20013
160%
%
140%
%
Capacity
120%
%
10%
%
100%
%
80%
%
5% 7%
4%
7
4%
60%
%
77%
70%
6
77% 68%
3%
99%
92%
%
83% 1%
107%
101%
4%
%
%
69%
62%
40%
%
5%
43%
20%
%
5%
%
% 5%
54%
29%
0%
%
300 302 304 306
3 308 310 312 301 3033 305 307
7 309 311 313
Average Ridersship
9
Midweekk Peak
T
Train Utilizzation
n
Manas
M ssas Line
Januuary 20013
140%
%
120%
%
221%
C
it
Capacity
100%
%
%
17%
1
15% 15% 15%
80%
%
60%
%
40%
%
11%
12%
11%
83%
% 70%
74% 76% 74%
70%
7
17%
18%
889%
76%
52%
68%
%
14%
% 5%
46%
20%
%
155%
0%
%
19%
322 324
3
326 328 330
0 332 3225 327 3329 331 333 335
5 337
Average Ridersship
10
Midweekk Peak
P
Parkin
ng Utiilizatiion
Janua
J ary 22013
54%
%
1600
Parking Spaces
g p
1400
1200
1000
800
99%
80%
%
81%
66%
65%
68%
%
67%
600
400
82%
% 91%
96%
66%
81%
%
200
0
V
BL
V
RR
V
BC
PV
M
SS
M
U
BR
R
DB
LO
W
P
RI
N
QA
V
BK
R*
LL
G*
FB
No. of s paces
No. in use
* Denotes stations w
with overflow parking availablee that is no
ow being d in final co
ounts.
included
11
F
Finan
nciall Rep
portt
Januuary 20013
A copy of the January 2013 Operaating Budget Repport is attachedd.
Farre income for thhe month of January 2013 was $97,579 above the budget – a ffavorable variance of 3.40%. TThe cumulative vvariance for
the year is -0.30%
% or $60,087 beelow the adopted budget. Revennue in the first sseven months oof FY 2013 is dowwn 6.7% compared to FY
2012. Revenue will be monitored closely
c
over the next several months to see if tthe reinstatemeent of the higher federal transiit subsidy in
Jannuary 2013 will reverse
r
the trend toward lower average revennue per trip expperienced in thee early part of the fiscal year.
A summary of the financial results (unaudited) ass of January 20013 follows. Detaail on the major revenue and exxpense categories is
proovided in the attached Operating Budget Reporrt. Amounts shown reflect the aamended FY13 bbudget.
MEASUURES
DOLLARRS
GOAL
Opperating Ratio
Budgeted Revennue
Buudgeted Revenue YTD
Acctual Revenue YTD
Cuumulative Variannce
Peercent Collectedd YTD
799,814,561
53,814,700
53,845,916
31,216
Budgeted Expennses
Buudgeted Expensees YTD
Opperating Expenses YTD
Cuumulative Variannce
Peercent Expendedd YTD
799,814,561
46,821,850
44,,019,588
2,802,262
ACTTUAL
5 5%
55%
67.42%
31,216
67.46%
58.66%
2,802,262
55.15%
2,833,478
Neet Income (Losss) from Operaations
Theese figures are preliminary andd unaudited.
12
Safety
In Januaary, Greg Deibller was promotted from Passeenger Operatioons Specialist tto VRE’s Manager of System
Safety and
a Security following the depparture of Sharrmila Samarasiinghe. Greg joinned VRE in 20008 to oversee
evening service operations and work with
w our host rrailroads to enssure service dissruptions were managed and
properlyy communicatedd. In addition to being involveed in VRE’s traiin operations, GGreg has been involved with
other VRRE activities succh as coordinatiing the fall 20122 Disaster Prepaaredness Drill. He recently graaduated with a
master’ss degree in trannsportation policy and operatioons from Georgee Mason Universsity.
Greeg began his railroad career building railroadd track panels while
w learning thhe basics of on the job safety.. Prior to joiningg VRE, he was
employed with Norrfolk Southern (NS) as a freightt conductor, eveentually earningg 1,500 miles off route and term
minal operating qualifications.
He advanced his commitment too rail safety thrrough participaation in variouss NS safety com
mmittees and wwith Operation Lifesaver, an
orgganization dedicated to eliminatting trespasser and grade crosssing fatalities.
Greeg’s goal in his new role as Maanager of System Safety and Security is to coontinuously lookk for any opporttunity to both eemphasize and
culttivate a culture of safety amonngst VRE’s passsengers, staff annd contractors – thus further improving what has already m
matured into a
greeat commuter raail system.
Leggislative Upddate
Currrently, the 2013 legislative session has reachhed the proverbbial half way pooint known as “Crossover”. The following is aan overview of
legislative items thhat are directly related to VRE:
Sennate Bill 1210, introduced by Senator Richard Stuart,
S
would haave given the Chhairman of the Commonwealthh Transportationn Board or his
dessignee voting weight on the Virrginia Railway Express
E
oversigght board equall to the highestt jurisdiction. Thhe bill also provvides that the
Chaairman of the Commonwealth Transportation
T
Board
B
or his deesignee shall be included for puurposes of consstituting a quorum on certain
transportation com
mmissions and shall have votinng rights equal to the appointeees of componeent governments. The measuree successfully
wass reported out of
o the Senate Trransportation Committee; howeever, the bill waas defeated in thhe Senate.
14
Leggislative Upddate (Continuued)
House
H
Bill 229 7, introduced bby Delegate Eilleen Filler-Cornn, would have
allocated
a
funds for railroad access fees. The llegislation provides funds for
contract
c
fees ppaid by the Virrginia Railway Express for acccess to CSX
Transportation,
T
Norfolk Southern Corporation, and the National Railroad
Passenger
P
Corpporation are to be allocated from the public transportation
portion
p
of federral Surface Traansportation Program funds. This legislation
would
w
finally ccodify what haas been past practice of tthe past five
Governors
G
andd General Asssembly to include these funds in their
respective
r
buudgets. The bbill passed tthe House TTransportation
Subcommittee
S
wwhere it was reeported to the full committee. BBefore the full
House
H
Transpoortation Commiittee Delegate Filler-Corn maade a strong
presentation
p
fo r passage of thhe legislation, but the measuree failed 11 to 10
wheen a Northern Virginia
V
legislatoor changed his vote against thee bill at the lastt second. We truuly appreciate tthe efforts of Delegate FillerCorrn for spear heaading this initiattive on behalf off VRE and the reegion.
Houuse Bill 2152, inttroduced by Delegate Richard Anderson, is the same as Senaate Bill 1210 in tthat it would have given the Chhairman of the
Com
mmonwealth Transportation Booard or his dessignee equal votting weight on tthe Virginia Railway Express ooversight boardd. The bill also
proovides that the Chairman of thee Commonwealtth Transportation Board or hiss designee shalll be included foor purposes of constituting a
quoorum on certain transportatioon commissionss and shall have voting rights equal to the aappointees of ccomponent goveernments. The
measure has recceived serious debate and coonsideration in the House. Thhe bill was firrst reported too the House TTransportation
mon ground to
Subbcommittee, whhere Chairman Cosgrove askedd VDRPT and VRRE to try and wwork with Deleggate Anderson to find a comm
move forward. The parties did meet
m but the biill came back before
b
the Trannsportation Subbcommittee beffore an agreem
ment could be
reaached. The Subccommittee voted 2 to 2 on the bill, which usually results in a bill not movinng forward; howwever, at the pleasure of the
Subbcommittee Chaair the bill wass sent ahead too the full Housee Transportation Committee. TThe House Trannsportation Com
mmittee voted
straight party line 14 to 7 to movee the bill, and on February 5th the
t House votedd to pass the m
measure 66 to 333. The bill will bbe sent to the
Sennate and we aree awaiting its asssignment to com
mmittee.
On the budget fronnt, VRE remainss in the Secretaary’s budget forr funding for traack access; howwever, Senator Colgan’s budgeet amendment
s
from thee final Senate Finance Commiittee report. We again thank
for $7 million for core capacity improvements was recently struck
Sennator Colgan forr his tireless effforts to advance VRE’s needs before
b
the Gene ral Assembly.
15
Aleexandria
TUNNNEL UPDATE: Thhe Alexandria tuunnel project will connect the King
K St - Old Towwn Metrorail staation to the VREE Alexandria Staation via a new
peddestrian tunnel which will allow
w all three traccks to be accessible to both VVRE and Amtraak passenger trrains. A feasibility study was
initiated to determ
mine a preliminary cost estimaate for construuction of an AD A accessible tuunnel, and the m
modification of the east side
plattform (so that train service can utilize bothh sides of the platform). The feasibility studdy draft was completed and distributed to
stakeholders in Jaanuary, 2013. A meeting is schheduled in February with VDOTT and the City oof Alexandria too discuss the findings of the
study, environmenntal documents, project funding and other steeps necessary tto proceed. Dessign is anticipated to start in summer 2013
andd be completed a year later, in summer 2014. Construction
C
coould then begin aas early as fall 2014.
Spotsylvania
Thirrd Track and Station: Both the
t track
andd station projeccts are slated foor design
com
mpletion by thee end of Februaary. Prefinaal plans have been compleeted and
circculated to CSX,, DRPT and Spootsylvania
Couunty for final comment. Once
O
all
com
mments are received
r
and CSX has
perrformed preliminary signal deesign, the
plans can be com
mpleted and thee project
cann be put out to bid for construction. We expeect that invitations for bid forr both projects will be issued by March, withh construction
begginning in springg 2013.
16
Fraanconia/Sprringfield
Thee repair and reeplacement of major
m
structuraal components of the existing steel stair towwer that
connnects the VRE platform to the Metrorail staation is nearing completion. Cooncrete placem
ment and
painting are schedduled to be com
mpleted by the end of Februarry, weather perrmitting. This coincides
with plans to placee the existing stair tower back in service by March, 2013. The project is scheeduled to
be complete in Aprril of this year.
Lorrton Station
Thee Lorton Stationn consists of a 400-ft platform
m with a 65-ft steel
cannopy that can accommodate
a
a five car train set. The exiisting
plattform will be exxtended an additional 250-ft northward,
n
as shown
in tthe photo, plus the addition of
o a 100-ft steeel canopy. Thiss will
extend the total platform length to approximatelyy 650-ft, allowinng an
Platform
m e
and safely.
eight car train sett to service the station more efficiently
Extension It wwill also providee 165-ft of totaal overhead cannopy, fitted withh LED
lighhting, to shelter passengers from
f
the elements. The plattform
extension will be 16-ft wide witth handrails along the back edge.
c
will be
Addditionally, the existing platform handrail connections
reppaired and the existing canoppy provided witth LED lighting, roof
deccking and gutterr pan. The existting at-grade trrack crossing will
w be
rem
moved and placeed at the end off the extended platform.
p
A concrete
sideewalk will be added to connecct the northernn end of the exiisting
parrking lot to thee extended platform. The platform design iss substantially complete and has been subm
mitted to Fairfaax County for
perrmitting. Construction is expectted to begin in summer
s
2013 annd be complete in fall 2013.
Staatus Gainesvville
VREE is awaiting Norfolk Southern signature on the match agreem
ment for the prooject. Once signned by both partties, the agreem
ment solidifies
Norrfolk Southern’ss local match coontribution to thhe project and will
w allow VRE to proceed with the planning andd environmentall work.
17
Lonng Bridge Uppdate
I atttended a Bridgge Workshop on January 24, 2013 along witth Christine Hooeffner, VRE Plaanning Managerr, sponsored by the District
Deppartment of Transportation (DDDOT). DDOT receeived an Americcan Recovery annd Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant to study thee bridge.
s
include:
Objectives of the study

Analyze the
t structural inntegrity and identify short-term
m structural rem
mediation requiirements

m
connnectivity and opperational improvements
Analyze multi-modal

l
multi-modal capacitty improvementts, including futture operating requirements for high-speed and intercity
Analyze long-term
passengeer rail, commuter rail, transit, bike and pedesttrian, and freighht services overr the Potomac RRiver
Thee workshop included an overvieew of the existing structure, discussion of brridge design connsiderations (e..g., bridge architecture, span
lengths, height limitations), and bridge alignmentt considerationss (e.g., adjacentt land uses affe cting alignmentt, relationship too VRE stations
at eeach end of thee bridge, need to
t maintain exissting bridge opeerations during construction). Two small grouup discussions were held for
parrticipants to provide their ideaas and input onn bridge architeecture and aestthetics and on alignment alterrnatives at eithher end of the
briddge.
Rail Car Acquissition and Prroduction
Prooduction at Nipppon-Sharyo’s Tooyokawa, Japan manufacturingg facility of 8 neew rail cars continues. Piece pparts and assem
mblies for the
carr shells will be completed
c
by suummer. The carr shells will thenn be shipped too Nippon Sharyoo’s new manufaccturing facility in Rochelle, IL
for final assemblyy. With the openning of this new
w facility, all fuuture VRE car oorders with Sumitomo Corporration/Nippon SSharyo will be
asssembled entirelyy in the U.S.
18
Capita
al Project Sum
mmaryy
Jaanuaary 220133
Seee atttachm
mentss
19