Governor Mark Warner (D) paused in his speech marking the Virginia Railway Express ten-year anniversary because another train rattled past on the tracks bordering the stage.
"What I've forgotten was how hard it is to talk over the sound of a train," he said.
Trains rambled past the crowded platform at the King St. station in Alexandria all day on Friday, June 21, as dignitaries who were instrumental in the development of the VRE system gathered to celebrate the milestone in Northern Virginia commuting history.
"Obviously this was an experiment. We're helping all the riders that commute everyday," he said.
Warner shared the stage with U.S. Rep Jim Moran (D-8), U.S. Sen. John Warner(R-Va.), Alexandria Mayor Kerry Donley (D), Braddock District Supervisor Sharon Bulova (D), and Pete Sklannik, Jr., VRE chief operating officer.
Supervisors Elaine McConnell (R-Springfield) and Dana Kauffman (D-Lee) were among the crowd as well.
"I always knew once we managed to get it together, it would be successful," said Bulova..
"I think we're beyond where everybody expected," McConnell said.
Warner did not hesitate to bring the upcoming election and the half-cent tax referendum, and referred to Northern Virginia as the "golden goose" to the rest of the state.
"We're going to take another chance by asking the voters on November 5, We will have a chance with our sales tax contribution to make a significant difference. We have to act this fall," he said.
ALEXANDRIA RESIDENTS Ted and Sherrie Schneider are local train enthusiasts. They sat on the platform, pointing at another nearby bench.
"I met my wife here on Ground Hog Day 1971, on the other bench," he said.
He has been into trains his whole life and looked at the impact train travel would have on the area.
"I believe the same energy that's required to propel 100 people through the air will move 1000 people on Amtrak," Schneider said, but realized the financial trouble facing Amtrak lately.
"The government should continue funding Amtrak like they fund everything else," he added.
Warner also noted the effect VRE has on the highway traffic.
"It carries an equivalent of one lane of traffic," he said.
If he could have compared the commuter train to any other city's commuter train system, Philadelphia was the closest Warner could think of.
Supervisor Dana Kauffman (D-Lee) also looked at the effect on other traffic.
"It's a win-win all the way around. It is also the equivalent of a couple of lanes on 95," he said, "people are seeing the success of this system."
Leslie Valenzas is a VRE intern, and a junior at American University. She talked about VRE future plans. .
"What we're looking to do is expand to Richmond and Charlottesville. We don't know if that's going to happen," she said.
Another possibility is a connection from VRE and Marc trains that wouldn't require going to Union Station in Washington, DC, the current transfer point.A plan is in the works according to Dan Drummond, assistant in Moran's office.
"The congressman put three million into that study," he said.
IN BURKE, VRE improvements are centered on the parking at the Burke VRE station. The lot gets full every morning so McConnell helped create a quick fix. Cars are now allowed to park along Roberts Pkwy. when the lot gets full on weekdays. Mark Roebel, manager for public affairs at VRE, noted the efforts toward the parking overflow.
The Rust Group, with Tom Rust the chief operator, is conducting a survey for an additional parking structure at the Burke station.
Valenzas mentioned the surveys going on and stressed the need for more parking and additional stations.
"We're growing eighteen percent a year," she said.