CvilleRail

Send your letters, e-mails and local Resolutions to:

Mr. Matthew Tucker, Director

c/o Public Information Office

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

1313 East Main Street, Suite 300

Richmond, VA 23219
drptpr@DRPT.Virginia.gov

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) is developing a State Rail Plan that will address the present and future needs for rail in the Commonwealth and provide a strategy to address them, and

 

WHEREAS, the State Rail Plan will address commuter, intercity, higher speed and high speed rail services as well as multimodal integration of rail with other modes of transportation, and

 

WHEREAS, the DRPT has asked for public input on the needs, priorities and rail improvements to be considered when developing the State Rail Plan, and

 

WHEREAS, the US29 – I-66 (Piedmont) rail corridor between Danville and Alexandria is home to 30% of the state’s population, and

 

WHEREAS, the cities, towns and counties of the US29 Corridor have experienced significant residential and commercial growth and with it, significant increases in highway traffic, congestion and travel time on through trips, and

 

WHEREAS, fifty years ago, the Piedmont Corridor was served by 22 passenger trains a day operated by the Southern and C & O Railroads, and

 

WHEREAS, today, the Piedmont Corridor is served by only one daily round trip train (Amtrak’s Crescent) between New Orleans and New York, and for stations north of Charlottesville, by an additional train (Amtrak’s Cardinal) three days a week, and

 

WHEREAS, these long-distance trains are frequently overbooked, with most seats reserved for long-distance ticket holders, the schedule is not conducive to business travel, and trains are frequently late, the existing level and quality of passenger rail service offered by these trains cannot meet the demands of business travelers, tourists, students or the traveling public, and 

 

WHEREAS, [insert local information about economic growth, the importance of access to DC to attract and keep businesses in the area, the importance of tourism in the local economy, etc. – any local information to establish the case for why passenger rail is important for economic development], and

 

WHEREAS, the rising cost of oil and the environmental concerns brought on by carbon based emissions have heightened the interest in energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternatives to the automobile, and

 

WHEREAS, recognizing the Piedmont Corridor as an underserved market, Amtrak has recommended to VDRPT that steps be taken to implement new Lynchburg to Washington rail service “as soon as possible” – including any capital improvements needed to the existing rail line by the host railroad, and

 

WHEREAS, Amtrak reports that the addition of a second daily train can be accomplished

easily and at a relatively low cost, and

 

WHEREAS, ridership on the Piedmont Corridor can be expected to increase significantly as direct service results in reliable, on-time trains with available seats, and

WHEREAS, an application for State Rail Enhancement Funds (REF) for capital investments in the corridor in support of the proposed new Amtrak passenger service has been developed by Norfolk Southern Railroad and is included in the list of projects recommended by VDRPT for inclusion in the State’s 2009-2014 Six Year Improvement Program,
 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the [City Councl/County Board of Supervisors/Organization] urges the VDRPT to include enhanced passenger rail service for the US29 (Piedmont) Corridor in the State Rail Plan, specifically the proposed new daily direct service between Lynchburg and Washington, DC and on to New York and Boston, as proposed by Amtrak, and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the [City Council/County Board of Supervisors/Organization] urges the Commonwealth Transportation Board to approve DRPT’s recommended REF funding for infrastructure investments needed to support new passenger service in the corridor, and
 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the [City Council/County Board of Supervisors/Organization] requests that DRPT identify the US29 corridor as the state’s top priority for funding new rail service according to Amtrak’s recommended Short Term Action Plan for Advancing Passenger Rail in the Commonwealth.
 

s                            Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) requested Amtrak identify potential markets and service schedules in the state that could be implemented in a short time frame and with minimal cost.

s                            Evaluation criteria: Serve established markets, lower operating costs/take advantage of existing operating efficiencies, minimal capital investment and ability to implement in short time frame.

s                            Two potential opportunities identified:

s                            Only enough equipment is available near term to operate one of the services.

s                            I-95 corridor has the highest ridership potential, however major infrastructure and operating issues would take a relatively long time to resolve in the corridor.

s                            Lynchburg service has fewer technical and operating issues and could be implemented much faster and at lower total cost.

s                            Amtrak recommends the Lynchburg to DC service be implemented “as soon as possible.”