EXPLANATION:

BeyondDC is currently aware of only one officially planned commuter rail expansion: A VRE extension of the Fredericksburg line to Richmond. That extension is contingent on an expansion of the existing tracks near Alexandria, which are congested and will not be able to handle any additional traffic until improved. However, given the recent advent of self-powered Diesel Multiple Units (see news story Here), adding service to existing freight corridors has become significantly cheaper. Therefore, BeyondDC speculates that over the coming decades many new lines could be added along those corridors where tracks already exist (marked on the map as dotted blue). Lines that would require new construction, such as the one to Ocean City, would be considerably more expensive and therefore much less likely to be built.

Please note that with the exception of the Fredericksburg-to-Richmond VRE extension, this map amounts to little more than an educated fantasy on the part of BeyondDC. It would be nice if it all gets built, but that would be extremely optimistic at best.

Existing lines:
DC Union Station to Martinsburg, WV (MARC)
DC Union Station to Frederick, MD (MARC)
DC Union Station to Baltimore Camden Station (MARC)
DC Union Station to Perryville, MD (MARC)
DC Union Station to Manassas, VA (VRE)
DC Union Station to Fredericksburg, VA (VRE)

Officially proposed lines:
Fredericksburg to Richmond extension (VRE)

Speculated lines where right-of-way already exists:
Martinsburg to Cumberland, MD extension (MARC)
Perryville to Wilmington, DE extension (MARC)
DC Union Station to Hagerstown, MD (MARC)
Baltimore Penn Station to Frederick, MD (MARC)
Baltimore Penn Station to Harrisburg, PA (MARC)
Baltimore Penn Station to Westminster, MD (MARC)
Baltimore Camden Station to Annapolis, MD (MARC)
Manassas to Front Royal, VA extension (VRE)
Manassas to Lynchburg, VA extension (VRE)
Manassas to Harrisonburg, VA extension (VRE)
Richmond to Petersburg, VA (VRE)
Richmond to Virginia Beach, VA (VRE)

Speculated lines where right-of-way does not exist:
Baltimore Camden Station to Ocean City, MD (MARC)