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Amtrak Virginia

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Amtrak Virginia
Northeast Regional in Ashland, Virginia
Northeast Regional in Ashland, Virginia
Overview
LocaleVirginia
Transit typeInter-city rail
Number of lines4
WebsiteAmtrak Virginia
Operation
Began operation2009
Operator(s)Amtrak
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

Amtrak Virginia is the collective name for Virginia's state-supported Amtrak train service, all of which falls under the Northeast Regional brand. Amtrak Virginia trains run between Washington, D.C., and one of four southern termini: Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, or Roanoke. Trains generally continue north from D.C. along the Northeast Corridor, providing one-seat rides from Virginia to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority has overseen Amtrak Virginia since 2020.[1][2]

History

[edit]

After Amtrak took over intercity passenger service on May 1, 1971, rail service in Virginia was limited to a small number of long-distance trains, where they were often not suited to regional travel. Regional service south to Newport News began on June 14, 1976, when Amtrak ended the Newport News section of the James Whitcomb Riley and the Colonial was added in its place with two daily round trips from Boston to Newport News via Alexandria, Richmond and Williamsburg.

The Colonial at Fredericksburg in the 1980s

Virginia and Amtrak partnered in 2009 under the brand Amtrak Virginia to expand passenger rail service within the Commonwealth, making Virginia the 15th state to fund state services in addition to federally funded routes.[3] One daily Northeast Regional round trip was extended from Washington to Lynchburg via Manassas and Charlottesville on October 1, 2009, supplementing the existing Crescent service.[4] In the first month, ridership doubled expectations.[5] On July 20, 2010, Amtrak added an additional Northeast Regional frequency from Washington to Richmond Staples Mill Road station, increasing the Washington-Richmond corridor to eight daily round trips with hourly northbound morning service.[6]

A further extension south from Richmond to Norfolk along Norfolk Southern tracks was planned by the Department of Rail & Public Transportation (DRPT), and the Commonwealth of Virginia in cooperation with Amtrak. Certain track upgrades (e.g., passing sidings, replacing track to increase operating speeds) between Richmond and Norfolk that were necessary to enable this extension were funded jointly by Norfolk Southern and DRPT. Service started on December 12, 2012.[7] A second daily Norfolk round trip on weekdays was added on March 4, 2019.[8] Schedules for the Newport News trains are also being modified[needs update] to improve service to the Hampton Roads region.[9]

On August 9, 2013, it was announced that Amtrak hoped to complete track and infrastructure upgrades in order to bring train service to Roanoke by 2016.[10] The project encountered delays, and by late 2016 service was planned to begin in late 2017 with a single train extended from Lynchburg serving the city daily after construction of the Roanoke station platform, which was to begin in early 2017 and take most of the year.[11] Amtrak began service to Roanoke on October 31, 2017.[12]

In December 2017 the DRPT started the Virginia Breeze, a state bus service operated by Megabus for areas not served by rail. As of May 2023 there are four daily routes that terminate at Washington Union Station, with stops at a few other Amtrak Virginia stations.[13][14]

On December 19, 2019, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a $3.7 billion program to expand rail service in Virginia, which includes doubling the frequency of Amtrak service between Richmond and Washington.[15][16] As part of the program, the commonwealth paid CSX Transportation $525 million to purchase 223 miles of track and 386 miles of right-of-way, a deal which was finalized on March 31, 2021.[17] One round trip was extended from Staples Mill to Main Street in September 2021 as the first service expansion under the program.[18] Service changes on July 11, 2022, added a second daily Roanoke round trip and an additional Norfolk weekday round trip (making three round trips on weekdays and two on weekends).[19][20] That change resulted in July 2022 ridership on the state-supported Virginia routes being 20% higher than June 2022 and 29% higher than July 2019.[21]

Proposed expansion

[edit]

Extension of the route south of Roanoke to Christiansburg, Virginia, near Virginia Tech, is proposed, with further extension to Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee as a long-range possibility. In 2021, the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) and Norfolk Southern reached an agreement for the state to purchase part of the former Virginian Railway for service to the New River Valley. A station was to be built at Merrimac, between Christiansburg and Blacksburg, with service by 2025.[22] As of June 2024, however, the VRPA and Norfolk Southern were in negotiations to instead extend service on the N-Line (ex-Norfolk and Western) with a station at Cambria, closer to Christiansburg. The VRPA indicated this could be done faster and cheaper than service on the Virginian line.[23]

Closed in 1979, Bedford station in Bedford, Virginia, was not reopened as part of the extension to Roanoke. In 2021, the DRPT estimated that an infill station in Bedford would draw 10,050 new riders per year, cost $10.9 million, and could be completed by 2025.[24]

Members of Virginia's Congressional Delegation at a groundbreaking in October 2024

In May 2022, Amtrak and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority reached an agreement to build an Amtrak platform at Crystal City, currently served by Virginia Railway Express, as part of the station's reconstruction.[25] As of 2023, the work is expected to be complete by 2026.[26]

Commonwealth Corridor

[edit]

Stakeholders have proposed a new cross-Virginia train along a route designated the Commonwealth Corridor: Newport News–Richmond–Charlottesville–Lynchburg–Roanoke. The service would enable faster east-west travel within the Amtrak Virginia network without the need to travel north, transfer at Alexandria, and return south. The route would use existing rail lines and would also follow the Northeast Regional extension to Christiansburg.

A 2021 feasibility study for the corridor conducted by DRPT estimated that the service would cost $416.5 million to get started, and would generate 177,200 annual riders by 2040.[27] In December 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration accepted an application by the DRPT to enter the Commonwealth Corridor route into its Corridor Identification and Development Program. The program grants $500,000 toward service planning and prioritizes the route for future federal funding.[28]

Operations

[edit]

Services

[edit]
Amtrak Virginia
Legend
Northeast Regional continues
to Boston or Springfield
Washington, D.C.
8 daily Amtrak Virginia trips
(7 on weekends)
 
DC
VA
Crystal City
planned 2026
Alexandria
Burke Centre
Auto Train to Lorton
Manassas
Woodbridge
Culpeper
Quantico
Charlottesville
Fredericksburg
Cardinal to Chicago
Ashland
Lynchburg
Richmond Staples Mill Road
Bedford
proposed
Richmond Main Street
terminus of 1 daily trip
 Williamsburg
Roanoke
terminus of 2 daily trips
Newport News
terminus of 2 daily trips
 Petersburg
Christiansburg
planned 2025
Norfolk
terminus of 3 daily trips
(2 on weekends)
 
Crescent to
New Orleans
Carolinian, Palmetto,
Silver Service, Auto Train

As of 2023, Amtrak Virginia consists of eight Northeast Regional round trips on weekdays, and seven on Saturdays and Sundays. Due to branching, cities receive varying levels of service, with only Alexandria Union Station seeing all trips. For example, Richmond Staples Mill Road sees six weekday round trips while Richmond's more centrally-located Main Street Station sees just three, while the remaining three continue Norfolk.

Washington Union Station is the northern limit of state-supported service. From there, trains generally continue onto the Northeast Corridor and terminate at Boston South Station or Springfield Union Station in Massachusetts.

Southern terminus Weekday round trips Weekend round trips
Richmond–Main Street 1 1
Newport News 2 2
Norfolk 3 2
Roanoke 2 2
Total 8 7

Amtrak Virginia service is supplemented by Amtrak's federally-funded long-distance routes through the state: the Cardinal to Chicago, Crescent to New Orleans, Palmetto to Savannah, Silver Service to Miami, and Auto Train to Sanford. The state-supported Carolinian also runs through Virginia, but is primarily sponsored by North Carolina and falls under the NC by Train brand, not Amtrak Virginia.[29]

Trackage

[edit]

All Amtrak Virginia services use the northernmost portion of the ex-Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (now owned by CSX Transportation) between Washington and Alexandria, Virginia. South of Alexandria, trains to Roanoke use the Norfolk Southern Railway (ex-Southern Railway, ex-Virginia Midland Railway). Trains to Richmond, Norfolk and Newport News use the CSX RF&P, Richmond Terminal, and Bellwood subdivisions between Alexandria and Richmond.

South of Richmond, trains to Newport News use the CSX Peninsula Subdivision. Trains to Norfolk use the CSX North End Subdivision and Norfolk Southern's Norfolk District (ex-Norfolk and Western Railway).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Luczak, Marybeth (October 28, 2020). "Report: Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Launched". Railway Age. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "About". VPRA. Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  3. ^ "NEW WEBSITE FOR AMTRAK TRAVELERS IN VIRGINIA – AMTRAKVIRGINIA.COM" (PDF) (Press release). Amtrak. September 24, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2016.
  4. ^ "Northeast Corridor Timetable 3" (PDF). Amtrak. October 1, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  5. ^ Reed, Ray (December 16, 2009). "Amtrak's Lynchburg-Washington line beats projections". The News & Advance. Archived from the original on December 25, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2009 – via The Committee to Advance The TransDominion Express.
  6. ^ "Amtrak Virginia Introduces Additional Service Between Richmond, VA and Washington, DC". ETB Travel News. July 14, 2010. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  7. ^ "Governor McDonnell Announces Amtrak Virginia to Norfolk to Start December 12". Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. August 30, 2012. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  8. ^ "Virginia Announces Additional Amtrak Service to Norfolk Beginning March 4th" (Press release). Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. January 18, 2019. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  9. ^ "Newport News & Norfolk Schedule Optimization" (PDF). Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. January 10, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  10. ^ Marrano, Gene (August 20, 2013). "Passenger Rail Is Coming To Roanoke Says Governor McDonnell". The Roanoke Star. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  11. ^ Sturgeon, Jeff (December 6, 2016). "State hunts for contractor to build Roanoke Amtrak platform". Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  12. ^ Wickline, Alison (October 30, 2017). "Roanoke celebrates inaugural Amtrak ride". WSLS. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  13. ^ DeBruhl, Jennifer (April 23, 2023). "Community Viewpoint: Virginia Breeze fulfills mission". GoDanRiver.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  14. ^ "About Us". The Virginia Breeze. Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  15. ^ MARTZ, MICHAEL (December 19, 2019). "Virginia has $3.7 billion deal to expand rail service between Richmond and Washington". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  16. ^ Lazo, Luz (December 19, 2019). "Virginia to build Long Bridge and acquire CSX right of way to expand passenger train service". Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  17. ^ Pascale, Jordan (March 31, 2021). "Virginia Finalizes $3.7 Billion Deal To Acquire Tracks From CSX". WAMU. Archived from the original on April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via National Public Radio.
  18. ^ Lazo, Luz (September 27, 2021). "Virginia expands Amtrak service to downtown Richmond as part of $3.7 billion rail program". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  19. ^ "Amtrak Increases Daily Service to Roanoke" (Press release). Amtrak. June 21, 2022. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  20. ^ "Amtrak Increases Daily Service to Norfolk" (Press release). Amtrak. June 21, 2022. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "Ridership on Amtrak's Virginia Routes Hits All-Time High" (Press release). Amtrak. August 30, 2022. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  22. ^ "Governor Northam Announces Agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway to Expand Passenger Rail to Southwest Virginia" (Press release). Virginia Office of the Governor. May 5, 2021.
  23. ^ "VPRA and Norfolk Southern in Discussions for New Rail Agreement" (Press release). Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. June 4, 2024.
  24. ^ Smith, Rachael. "Rail stop in Bedford becomes more realistic after study is completed". NewsAdvance.com. No. October 26, 2021. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  25. ^ "Executive Director's Report" (PDF). Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. May 2022. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  26. ^ "Crystal City Station Improvements". projects.vre.org. Virginia Railway Express. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  27. ^ Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, 2021 Commonwealth Corridor Feasibility Study, January 2022.
  28. ^ "FY22 Corridor Identification and Development Program Selections" (PDF). railroads.dot.gov. Federal Railroad Administration. December 2023. p. 6. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  29. ^ "VIRGINIA SPONSORED AMTRAK SERVICE MONTHLY REPORT" (PDF). Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. September 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
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