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The argument ONLY works for DC, Philly, NYC and to a lesser extent, Baltimore and Boston. How about hopping an imaginary train to Virginia Beach. How will you get around once there? Take one to Greensboro, Raleigh, etc. You can get to places on major thoroughfares, but getting where you want or need to go gets more difficult as you get away from the central bus depot. For that matter, there are plenty of cities that don't even have a multi-modal transportation center (there is one under construction in Lynchburg). they plan, but Until our cities develop very robust mass transit, you will have to be content with wishing for more rail. I always think the folks in Cville are overzealous in the way they think of their town and in the way they are the only city in Virginia outside of the DC metro area that has planned and discussed the kind of robust public transportation system that would compliment increased rail transit.
[color="Blue"]I have never heard of discussions about light rail in Roanoke but I often look at all of the railroad tracks which connect various parts of the city/county. I know streetcars are under discussion here but hats off to C'ville for their long range planning. I know Blacksburg has some intelligent people who are always dreaming about the future but somehow Va Tech got stuck with this "Smart Road"
concept which was hoped more "intelligent" thinking could be put into cars. I hoped Va Tech had gotten involved with planning for light rail/inter city transportation options instead. Instead the fed govt gives Tech grants for studying DNA or butterflies, etc. I know Greensboro/Winston/High Point have studies about light-rail
travel in that congested area, especially around the airport. Roanokes' advantage is that it is not sprawled out so if one arrives by rail downtown(the center of the valley)getting around is not difficult or cumbersome as in large cities. Some day it is hoped we can realize the dream.
The argument ONLY works for DC, Philly, NYC and to a lesser extent, Baltimore and Boston. How about hopping an imaginary train to Virginia Beach. How will you get around once there?
Uh ... say what???
Speaking as someone who has ridden the quote imaginary unquote train from WashDC to Virginia Beach and back multiple times I much prefer the ride on the Northeast Regional than driving. I drove it several times and the drive was tedious and unpleasant. The Northeast Regional train takes less time, far less stress and passes through some pretty back country along the Potomac River.
Technically, the train equipment stops in Newport News and transport on to Virginia Beach is via the Amtrak Throughway Bus Service. Virginia Beach is ticketed straight through on the Amtrak ticket so that still counts as my train ride for me (i.e. I CAN get there from here.) The Throughways bus is always waiting to pick up passengers from the Newport News terminal and take them to the Virginia Beach city bus terminal at 19th and Pacific, it's pretty seamless.
How will you get around? Well ... you can take your choice at the bus stop of buses or taxis or phone the car rental office to come and get you or you can even walk one block to the main Atlantic/Pacific drag. The VB Wave trolley runs up and down Atlantic/Pacific throughout most of the day and much of the night. Or you could, even, y'know, walk to the dozens of hotels scattered up and down the street.
Thanks for the Throughway map you posted in another article. That was interesting and I saved it, nice to know stuff when planning my next rail journey. I love to ride the rail and if a Throughways Bus is the only way to complete the connection then so be it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sregorat3
I always think the folks in Cville are overzealous in the way they think of their town and in the way they plan, but they are the only city in Virginia outside of the DC metro area that has planned and discussed the kind of robust public transportation system that would compliment increased rail transit.
How will you get around? Well ... you can take your choice at the bus stop of buses or taxis or phone the car rental office to come and get you or you can even walk one block to the main Atlantic/Pacific drag. The VB Wave trolley runs up and down Atlantic/Pacific throughout most of the day and much of the night. Or you could, even, y'know, walk to the dozens of hotels scattered up and down the street.
I agree... I am I bigger rail proponent than most. The issue has to do, in my opinion, with connectivity throughout an entire system. I am sure that the reception at Union Stn in DC is much greater and provides much more opportunity than anything else in VA. I think the public should expect the type of connectivity one finds in DC or NYC (or any decent size polis in Europe) if one expects us to be able to support mass rail transit on a grand scale. Right now, the NER trains give travelers south some good options, but give people heading North the ability to do without a car on a day in day out basis. The hope would be that smaller metro areas will prepare transit infrastructure in such a way that riding a train for work as opposed to vacation will be feasible. This is why I point to Cvilles transit plan. They drew out a long range plan that allows locals to use rail as a commuting option- hence allowing incoming passengers on trains like the NER to utilize convenient higher speed transit options to reach business destinations and then head back home when finished. This is a long way off and cities like Roanoke haven't even begun to plan in this way- hence the reason I think the state should proced more slowly and work in the interim at establishing the infrastructure necessary (like an evening NER to DC). I have read up on the light rail in Norfolk- was out there just after it opened and it looks realy neat. I'm sure they already know what Cville has yet to fully realize, that these systems are extremely expensive. I doubt if Cville will ever fully realize that dream, based on the limited light rail development we see in Norfolk, as well as in larger cities like Charlotte and Baltimore. I'm looking forward to metro extending the yellow? out to Dulles- I might book a flight to Europe just to be able to say that I went from the front of my house in Lynchburg to Europe without ever riding in a car!
I'm glad you think that way Sregorat3 but I'm guessing you are still too attached to your car to really explore the possibilities/feasibilities. I drive but prefer to take public transit when I can, sometimes just for the intellectual challenge of figuring out how to make it work. The rapid transit portion is quicker and easier than driving (unless something breaks down, but to be fair, so do personal vehicles). The biggest problem is waiting around for connections, which usually makes the whole trip take longer than driving a personal vehicle.
Actually, it is possible to get to Europe without getting in a car from parts of Radford, Christiansburg and Blacksburg as well as Lynchburg, if you live near one of their limited bus lines. Otherwise, you would have to drive to the bus stop.
Radford and Christiansburg via Radford Transit NRV 40 to the Falling Branch Park and Ride
Or in Blacksburg, Blacksburg Transit to the Falling Branch Park and Ride
Smart Valley Connector to Lynchburg and Amtrak to Union Station
Or you could cheat the train and take Megabus from Falling Branch to Union Station
Metro from Union Station to West Falls Church Metro Station
Washington Flyer Bus from West Falls Church to Dulles
Once the Silver Line Metro is completed, that will connect from Union Station to Dulles
Dulles to Europe
Or go from Union Station to Reagan National via Metro
From Reagan National, fly to New York or point between and change planes for flight to Europe
Or take MARC or Amtrak from Union Station to BWI and one of their European flights
I love the MARC trains for casual touring - fast, clean, frequent, timely, cheap and some pretty scenery (mostly swampy). But, since they are intended as commuter trains, they only run Mon-Fri. BWI connections from Union Station have to be via Amtrak, or to Greenbelt Metro Station and the BWI Metro bus on weekends. You can use a WashDC SmarTrip Metro card to ride Baltimore Light Rail down to the waterfront from BWI or the later Penn Train Station stop. In the summer, DC2NY runs buses that will take you from Union Station right to the beach front in Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches. OK, it's not Europe, but it's enjoyable none-the-less.
So, hey, you can get to Europe or the Atlantic Ocean beaches via public transit from the New River Valley. Maybe you should check it out. As an experienced transit user, I can tell you, Pack Light!
I'm glad you think that way Sregorat3 but I'm guessing you are still too attached to your car to really explore the possibilities/feasibilities. I drive but prefer to take public transit when I can, sometimes just for the intellectual challenge of figuring out how to make it work. The rapid transit portion is quicker and easier than driving (unless something breaks down, but to be fair, so do personal vehicles). The biggest problem is waiting around for connections, which usually makes the whole trip take longer than driving a personal vehicle.
The conversation shouldn't be about me; having experienced travel in the Northeast, Europe, and Central Asia, I understand the difference between easily used, wide-ranging systems and what we have in Central and Southwest VA. I live in Lynchburg; The last time I went to DC the only driving I did was from my house to the train station... stayed at the Embassy Suites next to the Old Town stop (metro and Amtrak). We (wife and three kids) stayed for 4 days and never wanted for a car.
There is a bus stop in front of my house, but to get to the train station, the 7 minute drive (in a car) takes 35 minutes and involves a transfer and then a walk to the station from the point where I disembark the bus. That is the same problem most cities have with mass transit. Not my fault and not related to attachments to my car!
I believe that there are whole segments of the population that are, by necessity, attached to their car. I have taken rail or transit on plenty of vacations, but is that really what the conversation should be about? Are there really enough vacationers to make passenger rail feasible throughout the more rural areas of the state or should we work to develop systems that allow people to have useful city to city transit by rail on a daily basis? Thankfully, Lynchburg is relocating the transit transfer center adjacent to the train station, allowing for a much quicker and rational option. This alone will give Lynchburg much better options for someone arriving by train or choosing to travel that way.
I make a once a month roundtrip from Roanoke to downtown DC.
With limited rail options from Roanoke, unless one likes to park ones' car in the worst part of town, wait for
a crowded bus for a 45 minute ride east to yet another worst part of town scenario to catch a train, etc etc
my options are limited.
Unless one is a trucker it is hard to travel on I-81. I-66 into DC is a scary road for me, especially with all of the 80mph drivers. Forget the Beltway, am I crazy?
My options of avoiding NoVa traffic are as follows:
1. Drive to Dulles airport, try to find parking as close to terminal as possible(good luck!), or get stuck in those
horrible long term lots and hope I find my car on my return trip. Wait for the "Flyer" bus to the West Falls Church Metro, hello weather, and in about 45 minutes I am where I am supposed to be!
2. Drive to Fredericksburg(I know a shortcut)catch the VRE train to downtown. The only problem? NO PARKING
I would even do a "drive and park" type of thing at a Hotel in downtown F'burg, but so far I know of nothing there.
3. Drive to the Vienna Metro station..Yeah right..Parking LOL.
Is there any other option I have failed to consider for my journey? Just getting around Virginia is more
difficult for me than any place I have traveled. Whew!!
I make a once a month roundtrip from Roanoke to downtown DC.
With limited rail options from Roanoke, unless one likes to park ones' car in the worst part of town, wait for
a crowded bus for a 45 minute ride east to yet another worst part of town scenario to catch a train, etc etc
my options are limited.
I hate driving on I-81, especially Cburg to Buchanan. Where do you have to park to catch the bus?
Is there any other option I have failed to consider for my journey? Just getting around Virginia is more difficult for me than any place I have traveled. Whew!!
Megabus from Christiansburg - only two buses a day - but a bargain.
Parking for the Bus is at the public lot at the Roanoke Civic Center, close to downtown, not a great area. It is
within walking distance of downtown but its still a good walk, not convenient for most.
Somehow I think of MegaBus as "Chinatown Express" to NYC , ha ha
I heard of MegaBus but Christiansburg is not convenient for me but thanks!
Parking for the Bus is at the public lot at the Roanoke Civic Center, close to downtown, not a great area. It is
within walking distance of downtown but its still a good walk, not convenient for most.
Somehow I think of MegaBus as "Chinatown Express" to NYC , ha ha
I heard of MegaBus but Christiansburg is not convenient for me but thanks!
How much more convenient if all transit was accessed at one hub; I guess the Civic Center location is related to ease of parking, but for those who choose the mass transit approach, the location is not ideal, especially with a convenient transfer station downtown (and it is pretty close to the train station, at that).
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Well, that should come as news to the thousands of Norfolk Light Rail users; one of the Light Rail stations was built immediately adjacent to the Norfolk Amtrak station. 
Suggestions Please!
