Virginia Passenger Rail Authority votes to advance new deal expanding rail services

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s (VPRA) Board of Directors voted on a new deal with Norfolk Southern Corporation that involves buying the Manassas Line and access to the Main Lane, which could potentially increase rail options for thousands of Virginia passengers.

Recently, VPRA’s Board of Directors voted to move forward with a new agreement with Norfolk Southern Corporation to purchase the Manassas Line and get access to Norfolk Sothern’s main Line, the N-Line.

“We are so pleased that the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s Board of Directors today voted to advance a better, faster, and cheaper solution to bring passenger rail back to a historic location in the New River Valley while also providing opportunities to bolster service in Northern Virginia,” said Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.  “We are excited to deliver these benefits as we continue to accelerate results not only in these two regions, but across the entire Commonwealth.”

According to VPRA, through the new agreement, there will be the ability to extend Amtrak Virginia services to the New River Valley quicker and at a lower cost than it had been planned originally.

“We look forward to finalizing this agreement, which will make passenger rail a viable option for even more Virginians,” said DJ Stadtler, Executive Director of VPRA.  “We appreciate Norfolk Southern’s partnership and look forward to working with them to expand passenger rail in the Commonwealth.”

VPRA stated that purchasing the Manassas Line would in the future enable the ability to increase the Virginia Railway Express’ (VRE) Manassas Line service with additional features, which includes evenings and weekend options.

“At Norfolk Southern, we know the power rail has to connect communities and grow economies, and we’re proud to play a role in helping VPRA in its mission to support and expand the availability of passenger and commuter rail service in the Commonwealth,” said Norfolk Southern Chief Strategy Officer Mike McClellan. “We want to thank VPRA for its partnership and dedication in reaching an agreement that has the potential to benefit generations of Virginians with reliable, convenient rail travel, while also balancing the needs of the freight rail network the economy relies on.”

Plans to move forward with finalizing the agreement and close the deal with Norfolk Southern Corporation is expected to in early September, according to VPRA.

For more information, visit Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s website .

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