WASHINGTON — Washington area rail commuters fed up with slow rides home on VRE and MARC trains received some welcome news Monday, reports WJLA TV.
Freight operator CSX annonced that it’s easing the heat-related speed restrictions put in place after the Amtrak derailment in Kensington, Md. Passenger trains have had their speed limit raised to 50 miles-an-hour during hot weather – a five-mile-per-hour improvement over the former 45 mph maximum speed.
The new limit affects the Fredericksburg Line of Virginia Railway Express and the Brunswick and Camden Lines on MARC.
MARC also said Monday would be the last day it would operate bus service from the Shady Grove Metro.
However, Train 871 on the Brunswick Line – the 1:45 p.m. from Union Station – was once again canceled. Passengers were instructed to use their MARC tickets to take Metro’s Red Line to Rockville, where they could board buses to their destinations.