(The Associated Press circulated the following article on July 11.)
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — It’s a big day for some Virginia Railway Express passengers as the commuter rail service adds some longer trains to its roster in an effort to get more people into seats on the most crowded trains.
The eight-car trains are to include three on the Fredericksburg line and two on the Manassas line with a goal of adding an additional eleven-hundred seats.
VRE is using refurbished, double-decker cars purchased from Chicago’s Metra system. A VRE spokesman says it’s the easiest way to add seats without adding more trains. VRE’s Web site says there will be one eight-car train on each line today.
Additional storage capacity now being leased at an Amtrak yard in Washington is also a major component. The space has become available because Amtrak has stopped delivering mail for the U-S postal service.
VRE is also working on projects that will allow it to eventually add more trains.