Passenger train service is coming back to the New River Valley! A groundbreaking was held on April 24 to signify the beginning of work needed to restore service (stopped in 1979) to the existing Cambria station in Christiansburg. The groundbreaking ceremony was very well attended and included enthusiastic remarks from Governor Youngkin and Senator Kaine, among other dignitaries.
The passenger service will provide an extension of the existing service from Roanoke. It is planned to be offered at least twice daily, with stops including Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, and Alexandria before terminating in Washington D.C. Ridership on the existing Amtrak line has greatly exceeded expectations, and there is broad consensus that this extension will be very well used. It will provide a convenient and relatively inexpensive alternative to driving on I-81. Virginia Tech and Radford University have both been active participants in planning for this new line, anticipating it will offer an attractive alternative for its students. But its use certainly will not be limited to students, with a wide variety of riders all sharing the pleasure of no longer fighting the often tremendous traffic between DC and the New River Valley!
While attending the groundbreaking, I was particularly impressed by the participants’ enthusiasm for the project, and by the lack of political partisanship. Planning for this rail extension extended across four governors’ administrations – two Republican and two Democrat. Speeches included praise such as “public infrastructure that works for everyone,” “broad-based initiative,” and “visionary state leadership in bringing back rail.” The naive observer would have no idea that building political consensus was not an ordinary thing – it was great not to hear that the other party was at fault for political failures, and that only my own party was responsible for successes.
Some details of the project have yet to emerge. Service is scheduled to start in 2028, although one speaker hinted that it may start as early as December 2027, in time for the holidays. At least some parking will be available on-site, and planning includes improvements to access roads. Nothing was mentioned specifically about bus or other transit service to the rail station, but most likely it is part of the overall planning for the site. Working together politically, things can get done! In addition to looking forward to the new rail service, it is great to see government working to improve our communities.
