RF&P Subdivision

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RF&P Subdivision
Legend
Landover Subdivision
to Landover
Sousa Bridge
I-395
Center Leg Freeway
Washington Union Station Amtrak Virginia Railway Express MARC train.svg WMATA Red.svg
112.2 mi
180.6 km
First Street Tunnel (Virginia Tower)
111.9 mi
180.1 km
L'Enfant
Virginia Railway Express
I-395
Southwest Freeway
111.3 mi
179.1 km
110.1 mi
177.2 km
RO Tower
Crystal City
Potomac Yard (opens 2021)
105.1 mi
169.1 km
Alexandria
Alexandria Yard
104.3 mi
167.9 km
AF Tower
103.9 mi
167.2 km
102.8 mi
165.4 km
101.2 mi
162.9 km
I-95 /
I-495
Capital Beltway
99.3 mi
159.8 km
Franconia–Springfield
Virginia Railway Express WMATA Blue.svg
93.0 mi
149.7 km
Lorton
Virginia Railway Express
92.3 mi
148.5 km
Lorton
Amtrak
88.9 mi
143.1 km
Woodbridge
Amtrak Virginia Railway Express
85.3 mi
137.3 km
Rippon
Virginia Railway Express
Potomac Shores
(opens 2022) Virginia Railway Express
79.1 mi
127.3 km
Quantico
Amtrak Virginia Railway Express
69.1 mi
111.2 km
Brooke
Virginia Railway Express
63.5 mi
102.2 km
Leeland Road
Virginia Railway Express
61.1 mi
98.3 km
Dahlgren Junction
59.3 mi
95.4 km
Fredericksburg
Amtrak Virginia Railway Express
Spotsylvania
Virginia Railway Express
53.2 mi
85.6 km
XR Tower
37.8 mi
60.8 km
Milford Tower
I-95
21.8 mi
35.1 km
Doswell Diamond (Piedmont Subdivision)
4.8 mi
7.7 km

The RF&P Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation. It runs from Washington, D.C., to Richmond, Virginia, over lines previously owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. The line's name pays homage to that railroad, which was a predecessor to the CSX.

Route description[]

At the northern (eastern) end of the line, the RF&P Sub connects to the Capital Subdivision, which runs to Baltimore, Maryland. Just before the Anacostia Railroad Bridge on the Capital Sub is the Virginia Avenue Tunnel. South (west) of the tunnel is a branch to the Amtrak First Street Tunnel, which leads to Union Station and the Northeast Corridor. The Virginia Avenue Tunnel is used only for freight trains, while the First Street Tunnel is used only for passenger trains.

Continuing south, the RF&P Sub crosses the Potomac River over the Long Bridge into Virginia, and passes through Alexandria and Fredericksburg, ending in Richmond at the Richmond Terminal Subdivision.[1] [2]

Alexandria Union Station, served by Amtrak and VRE

Current operation[]

The RF&P Sub is part of CSX's eastern seaboard line, and carries freight trains, as well as passenger trains for Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express (VRE). Freight traffic capacity on the subdivision has been improved by the modernization of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel. The tunnel is now double-tracked and has a higher vertical clearance, which allows the use of double-stack freight cars. South of Long Bridge is triple tracked until Franconia Station where it reduces to double track.

Proposed modifications[]

In 2008 CSX proposed improvements to the RF&P Sub in what would be a public-private partnership, as part of its National Gateway initiative.[3] The improvements would enable use of double-stack cars, and include a modified or rebuilt tunnel, and lowering of track levels at several presently-restricted roadway overpasses.[4]

In 2019, the state of Virginia announced that they were purchasing track from CSX along the subdivision in order to expand passenger rail service in Virginia. They will buy the 3rd and 4th tracks where they exist, half of the existing right-of-way, building a new passenger-only long bridge across the Potomac, and will be expanding stations along the line along with more service. [5]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "RR-Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac Sub - the RadioReference Wiki".
  2. ^ http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/CSX/CSX%20ETTs/CSX%20Baltimore%20Div%20ETT%20%234%201-1-2005.pdf CSX Baltimore Division Timetable
  3. ^ CSX Corporation (2008). "CSX Announces National Gateway to Improve Flow of Freight." 2008-05-01.
  4. ^ Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Washington, DC (2009). "CSX National Gateway Projects in the Washington Region." Retrieved 5 December 2009.
  5. ^ WTOP (2019). "Major Amtrak, VRE expansion set under $3.7 billion Virginia-CSX deal" Retrieved 7 February 2020
Retrieved from ""