RICHMOND — Prospects for a new passenger rail service to Lynchburg improved this week when state rail officials and Norfolk Southern Corp. approved a “framework agreement” for a new daily train to Washington.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board and the railroad that owns most of the track “set out the general parameters” of a pact Thursday night for more passenger rail service, said Jennifer Pickett, spokeswoman for the state Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
“We’re getting closer” to having a second train to Washington each day, likely starting in October, said Lynchburg city Councilman Bert Dodson. Dodson spent two days in Richmond this week talking to state and NS officials about the train.
“There has been significant progress,” said Del. Shannon Valentine, D-Lynchburg.
Rex Hammond, president of the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, said he too had worked with rail officials during the week and felt chances for the train looked good.
Pickett said a contract for improvements to rail facilities in Lynchburg “necessary to implement the service, will be executed once the program is adopted by the CTB, anticipated at their Feb. 19 meeting.”
Concerns that erupted among rail advocates last week that a state senator from Bristol might disrupt the progress had abated by Friday.
Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, said during the week that after talking with Sen. William Wampler, R-Bristol, he felt Wampler wouldn’t push for adoption of his proposed state budget amendment that would have required the rail service to wait until it could be funded all the way to Bristol.
Meredith Richards of Charlottesville, president of the Piedmont Rail Coalition, said the infrastructure improvements in Lynchburg included some work at the Kemper Street passenger station and also in an area where the train from Washington would be parked overnight in Lynchburg.
“This really signals the state is going to move forward with it,” Richards said.
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