lunar_unit t1_iyd1nig wrote on November 30, 2022 at 2:30 PM

I'm having trouble buying those numbers without more context. The chart says 463 people used the Washington-Richmond line in 2021 (1.26 persons per day - which seems unbelievably, unrealistically low), and then out of the blue, 90,000+ people are using it in 2022? 🤔.

What are the numbers for prepandemic on that line?

Are they comparing apples to apples?

Edit:. The expansion to Main St station has had an effect, but not 20,000%:

https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/amtrak-ridership-hits-all-time-high-after-expansion-between-richmond-d-c/

Edit 2: if you look at ridership for 2017/18 for the same line, 90,000 in 2022 is a ~43% drop (PDF file):

https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/FY18-Ridership-Fact-Sheet-1.pdf

Edit 3:. To delve deeper in these numbers, here's the ridership report for 2019/2020. For the line we're discussing, ridership was at ~50,000 in 2020, so 46,300 (not 463) might make sense for 2021. We're now in an upswing from those pandemic lows towards previous levels (2019 had 127,000 riders on the Washington-Richmond line, approx 40,000 people more than 2022), but we're not there yet, and nowhere close to exceeding ridership levels of years past.

https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FY20-Year-End-Ridership.pdf

pizzatongs OP t1_iyd3o02 wrote on November 30, 2022 at 2:45 PM

I think the route that originates in Richmond and goes to DC started just before the end of FY21 - https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/new-amtrak-train-route-51, which obviously means those numbers are low. But good to see that the route is getting lots of use and not necessarily taking away from the other routes that come through town.

lunar_unit t1_iyd4kp8 wrote on November 30, 2022 at 2:52 PM

IDK if you saw my second edit, but the chart you posted from 2021/22 shows ridership significantly down on the Washington-Richmond line (and over all lines ) compared to 2017/18. (Probably related to more 'work from home' solutions for riders, but not necessarily a good thing for mass transit in our region (less riders=less demand=less funding))