The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s (VPRA) Board of Directors voted to advance a new agreement with Norfolk Southern Corporation to purchase the Manassas Line and gain access to Norfolk Southern’s main line (N-Line) which will increase passenger rail options for thousands of Virginians. Through the new agreement, VPRA will have the ability to extend its state-supported Amtrak Virginia service to the New River Valley sooner and at a lower cost than originally planned. In addition, the purchase of the Manassas Line will enable VPRA to increase the Virginia Railway Express’ (VRE) Manassas Line service in the future with additional frequencies, including evening and weekend options.
“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 Gov. 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.”
“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 first revealed it was in discussions with Norfolk Southern back in June. Responding to public input, which supported service to Christiansburg, Va., along the N-Line and seeking a more cost-effective and timelier alternative for that service, VPRA reached out to Norfolk Southern, who agreed to re-open negotiations. During the past three months, the two have worked together to develop plans, which will allow passenger rail service to return to Christiansburg via Norfolk Southern’s Cambria Yard, which previously served the community from 1904 to 1979.
The inclusion of the Manassas Line in the deal will give VPRA the flexibility to work with VRE to expand service along their Manassas Line. The ability to add evening and weekend service is something the commuter agency has recently sought as commuting trends have changed and the need for service beyond traditional commuting times has increased. The combination of the 2024 VPRA-Norfolk Southern agreement with the 2021 VPRA-CSX agreement means that when the six Phase 1 Transforming Rail in Virginia Construction Projects are complete, additional VRE roundtrips could start not only on the Fredericksburg Line, but on the Manassas Line as well. Currently, VRE offers eight roundtrips on the Manassas Line, with stops at Broad Run, Manassas, Manassas Park, Burke Centre, Rolling Road, Backlick Road, Alexandria, Crystal City, L’Enfant and Washington Union Station.
Following the VPRA Board of Directors vote, VPRA leadership will move forward to finalize the agreement with Norfolk Southern and close the deal in early September
