Modern Commuter Service - 3
4
Fredericksburg and another west (RR south) to Manassas. This
service operates on Norfolk Southern and CSX freight lines and
also shares the rails with Amtrak. VRE’s line from Washington
to Manassas runs less than a mile for from the layout in my
basement. It is easy to study in order to learn how to represent
modern commuter operations, since a half-a-dozen train pass
by each morning and afternoon.
Today’s VRE is an easy example to implement, since all of the
equipment currently used is readily available in model form.
Kato recently released sets of VRE Nippon Sharyo Bi-Level com-
muter cars and both MP36 and F40PH locomotives. Cars and
motive power are also available separately. In addition to the
Nippon Sharyo cars, VRE still operates former Chicago and
Northwestern (Chicago Metra) Pullman-Standard bi-level cars.
These are available from Wheels of Time and Con-Cor.
4: Like most commuter trains, VRE consists include a
single locomotive and up to six bi-level cars. These cars
currently are available from Kato in VRE and Chicago
Metra livery.
5
Commuter Traffic Operations
Like many commuter rail systems, VRE has used, and contin-
ues to use, a variety of passenger equipment. VRE began with
conventional coaches and previously leased full trainsets from
the Seattle “Sounder” fleet. The road also obtained bi-level
cars from Chicago Metra and most recently has purchased the
Nippon Sharya cars. At any one time VRE has used several vari-
eties of trainsets.
VRE trainsets usually consist of a single locomotive (currently
an MP35PH, but formerly a variety of EMD units includ-
ing F40PH-2s and GP40-H2s) and from four to seven cars
including one cab car. The locomotives always face south.
Exceptions exist, and sometimes trains include more than one
5: A VRE train departs Backlick Road station on bi-
directional NS trackage, running wrong-way to occupy
the platform.
MRH-Feb 2014
