VRE’s new interim CEO sits on trains, wanting to chat

Rich Dalton rode a Manassas line train to work today, and it sparked an email to fellow riders telling them that he was in the front of the train and willing to talk.

• “Rich Dalton will be available to answer service questions and listen to feedback during his commute. Look for him in the northernmost car or ask a conductor to point him out,” the email stated. 
• Dalton lives in Fredericksburg, I’m told, but decided to take a Manassas line train to VRE’s headquarters in Alexandria.
• Dalton was named interim CEO last week after the abrupt resignation of Doug Allen, who led the state’s only commuter railroad since 2012.

While railroad’s Operations Board searches for a permanent replacement for Allen, Dalton has encouraged other members of VRE’s executive staff to ride rains on both of the system’s lines — Fredericksburg and Manassas — and to engage with customers.

• Everyone from VRE’s IT director to its marketing chief has participated in the listening tour.
• VRE spokeswoman Karen Finucan Clarkson tells me more staff members plan to participate in these listening rides.

The rides come as on-time reliability rates have fallen over the past year.

• The railroad’s daily ridership numbers are on the rebound after suffering major losses earlier this year.
• Delays caused by interference with freight trains (for which VRE trains share tracks) were blamed for the loss.
• Ridership has rebounded in recent months.

VRE finds itself at a critical time as state and federal officials explore rebuilding Long Bridge.

• The $3 billion project would replace and expand with the width of the existing Long Bridge, which crosses the Potomac River linking Virginia and Washington D.C.
• It’s the region’s worst rail bottleneck, preventing VRE from running more trains.
• Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation has promised $250 million as a down payment for the new bridge.
• If it’s built, VRE riders could one day purchase a one-seat ride from Manassas or Fredericksburg to Maryland, as the new bridge would increase VRE’s capacity by about 70%.