The US state and Federal Railroad Administration are exploring the feasibility of high-speed rail in the 123-mile stretch connecting Richmond and Washington. Virginia officials say the plan is to raise the maximum rail speed from the current 70 mph to 90 mph, and in doing so, make intercity passenger rail more reliable for people in the corridor and more competitive with car and air travel. The project is to happen by 2025.
That effort would require maximizing the efficiency of the existing infrastructure while making enhancements to increase rail capacity. The corridor, which generally has a two-track system, is used by commuter and passenger rail as well as freight. The ongoing federal environmental review is contemplating adding a third track all along the corridor, modernizing stations, adding passing sidings and crossovers to allow for trains to pass one another more easily and straightening some curves to achieve faster speed.
The Richmond – Washington D.C. project is one in the nationwide push for high-speed rail and is part of a larger federal plan for bringing higher speed trains to the Southeast corridor, reaching all the way to Florida.
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