Commuters who travel by train between Washington, D.C., and Virginia should prepare for a major service interruption this October. Amtrak has announced a nine‑day shutdown of the A‑Interlocking junction – the key rail node located in the First Street Tunnel just south of Union Station. The closure is scheduled for Oct. 16 through Oct. 26.
Why the shutdown is necessary
Greg Michalski, Amtrak’s deputy chief of production construction, explained that every southbound Amtrak train passing through the nation’s capital must traverse A‑Interlocking. The junction funnels multiple station tracks into the two tracks that continue into Virginia. Over the past several years, Amtrak has performed routine maintenance on the tunnel, but the infrastructure has now reached the end of its useful life. “We’ve been doing maintenance throughout the last couple years to maintain the tunnel, and all these assets have just reached their useful life span. They’re at the point of a complete replacement,” Michalski said.
What work will be done
During the outage, crews will replace two double‑slip switches and a rail crossing known as a diamond – essential components that direct trains through the junction. New electric switch machines will be installed, ballast beneath the tracks will be refreshed, and drainage issues in the tunnel will be addressed. Because a significant section of track must be removed, no trains can run through the area during the work. “There will be no tracks to actually physically run a train on,” Michalski noted.
Amtrak plans to operate around the clock, working 24 hours a day for the full nine‑day period to complete the project within the limited window.
Impact on passengers
Riders traveling between Virginia and D.C. will need to use alternate transportation. Some Amtrak trains will terminate in Alexandria, where passengers can transfer to the Metrorail system. Additional bus services will connect riders from various points across Virginia to the capital. Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Executive Director DJ Stadtler acknowledged the inconvenience but assured the public that options will be available. “We totally understand it’s an inconvenience. We don’t love it either, but we’re going to make sure folks have the options to get where they want to go when they want to get there,” he said.
The shutdown will also affect Virginia Railway Express (VRE) service. While VRE will continue operating, Union Station will not be a destination during the period. “During this period, you will not be able to take a train from Virginia into D.C.,” Stadtler added.
Long‑term benefits
Amtrak says much of the new track will be pre‑assembled and tested before crews begin removing the old infrastructure, helping to keep the project on schedule. Rail leaders expect the temporary inconvenience to yield lasting improvements in reliability at one of the region’s most important rail junctions and to position the corridor for future growth in passenger rail service.
Commuters are encouraged to check Amtrak and VRE websites for updated schedules and to plan alternate routes well in advance of the Oct. 16‑26 shutdown.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
