By J. Bruce Richardson, Corridor Rail Development Corporation; February 17, 2021
News item from Progressive Railroading Magazine, February 16, 2021:
“Virginia governor call for $50 million in general funds to expand Amtrak service
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has proposed $50 million in one-time general fund dollars in fiscal-year 2022 to help improve intercity passenger-rail service along the corridor of U.S. Route 29 and Interstate 81.
The proposal would include a second daily round trip of Amtrak service, with stops in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Burke and Alexandria; extension of the existing and new second trains to New River Valley; and improved freight- and passenger-rail reliability, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) reported in its winter 2021 newsletter.
Improved passenger-rail service along the corridor has been a priority for more than a decade. The first discussion of a second train started in 2014. Virginia officials are in negotiations with Norfolk Southern Railway to finalize an agreement, according to the newsletter.
DRPT officials noted the following key points about the proposal:
• Amtrak service along the corridor has been “very successful,” with ridership increasing from its inception in 2009 to more than 220,000 riders in 2019;
• The New River Valley has strong demographics for successful rail service, the New River Valley has strong demographics for successful rail service with a population of more than 180,000, including more than 40,000 university students;
• Studies indicate an additional 80,000 riders are expected to use the new service; and
• The existing Roanoke train is the only Amtrak service in Virginia that covers 100% of its operating costs through ticket revenue.”
Why is an Amtrak train in the Commonwealth of Virginia doing so well financially? There are several reasons.
Virginia has been aggressive in its approach to Amtrak. Over the past couple of decades it has relied on internal monies more than federal monies/Amtrak to advance its rail program. Virginia also created the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, specifically devoted to its rail and mass transit programs. And, about a decade ago, created a dedicated state source of funding for its rail and all transportation programs.
In short, the commonwealth doesn’t rely on the kindness of strangers for its rail program. It very much acts like any entrepreneur which recognizes opportunity, creates a workable business plan, and then finds experts to carry out the business plan.
The most important element of the commonwealth’s program is it has a robust marketing program for its trains. Passenger trains in Virginia are not a well-kept secret. They are promoted to the traveling public.
Virginia also has long-range planning in place that eliminates perhaps the most infamous phrase in passenger rail in North America: “you can’t get there from here.” Virginia’s plans call for cross-state rail in addition to north/south rail. Virginia understands travelers want to go in more than one direction.
Additionally, Virginia has created an intrastate network which touches all of its major cities. Now, it’s a matter of connecting them with a workable matrix system of trains.
The new train heralded in the Progressive Railroading story above for the part of the route from Lynchburg to the north will actually make a third frequency on that route.
The original frequency on the route was the Crescent. When the unnamed second frequency was added a number of years ago, it only went from Lynchburg to the Northeast Corridor. Because Virginia cleverly set the schedule so passengers could make use of both the Crescent and new frequency to make same-day roundtrips, the train instantly flourished. At the time, Virginia said from the first day of operation the train was so well patronized it required zero state funding for operations.
When Amtrak changed its funding requirements for state subsidies this regrettably changed but it did not deter passengers and the commonwealth. The train remained, and was later extended southwest to Roanoke, where it became more successful. Now, the commonwealth wants to extend it further towards its border with Tennessee, plus add the additional frequency. Residents and leaders in the New River Valley have been pushing for this extension since the first Roanoke train was announced.
It is not likely the new frequency will be added immediately. The Long Bridge over the Potomac River which separates Virginia from the District of Columbia is at capacity. It’s the only way for trains to get into the District from Virginia. An additional bridge is in the beginning of the process of how to construct it. CSX, which owns the bridge has said it’s impossible to add more peak time trains and maintain a proper flow of all traffic.