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BY KELLY HANNON
Every summer the temperature outside heats up and Virginia Railway Express trains slow down.
Heat restrictions imposed by CSX Corp. caused an average VRE train delay of eight to nine minutes between May and August 2006, although on a few days, delays were far longer.
Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania County, got an earful about heat restrictions this fall from commuters during a public meeting on Fredericksburg-line service.
"It's almost become a way of life down here, to understand VRE is delayed or late," Houck said.
So he decided to put some heat on the owners of the tracks, CSX.
Houck has submitted an amendment to Gov. Tim Kaine's budget that directs Virginia officials to raise the heat restrictions issues with CSX during any negotiations. He said he's willing to hold up $20 million in track and signal improvements along the Richmond-to-Washington corridor until he gets some answers.
"I'm to the point where I'm willing to pull the plug on the funding if CSX is not willing to be a participating player to resolve the delays," he said.
CSX, the Jacksonville, Fla., corporation, requires passenger trains to slow down whenever the temperature reaches 85 degrees or higher, or whenever temperatures fluctuate 20 degrees or more day to day.
Freight trains are required to slow down 10 mph, and passenger trains are required to slow down 20 mph. The speed limit for passenger trains is 70 mph, while the speed limit for freight trains is 60 mph. So both types of trains are traveling at the same speed.
But Norfolk Southern, which owns the rails used by the VRE Manassas line, does not have heat restrictions.
Houck wants an explanation from both companies. Officials from both rail lines are scheduled to attend a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee's Transportation Subcommittee on Thursday, Feb. 8 in Richmond. Houck is a member of the subcommittee.
"We are confident that as work continues, service will continue to improve," said CSX spokesman Bob Sullivan yesterday. "We look forward to what will be a productive and cooperative relationship with the committee and the commonwealth, and we look forward to next Thursday."
VRE explained CSX's reasoning behind heat restrictions in a 2006 newsletter to riders, and yesterday Sullivan confirmed the reasons.
Tracks will sometimes "kink" in high temperatures, or move sideways. The slower train speeds are a safety precaution, according to the VRE newsletter.
The annual summer slowdown and general VRE delays were the reasons commuter Vic Federico of Spotsylvania switched from the train to a commuter bus.
"Commuter buses and vans are dependable--VRE is not. The VRE trains stop and no one informs you why or how long it will be delayed. My ride is faster and less expensive," said Federico, who commutes to Voice of America in Washington, D.C.
But Mark Roeber, VRE manager of government relations and public affairs, said CSX's communication with VRE has improved.
In December, 94 percent of trains on the Fredericksburg line arrived on time.
"Dispatch is now better than it's ever been. There's almost immediate communication about what's happening before it was sort of a guessing game. Relationshipwise, things are getting better, servicewise, things are getting better," Roeber said.
However, while VRE appreciates Houck's efforts, Roeber said he's not sure CSX can be convinced to waive heat restrictions, since it is a private company.
"It's an internal policy," Roeber said.
Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
