CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – A new contract to extend NRV commuter rail service is expected to save time and money.
The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority approved the purchase of 24 miles of Norfolk Southern’s Manassas Line at a board meeting on Tuesday.
Under the agreement, the line that provides Amtrak service from Manassas to Roanoke would extend its service to Christiansburg no later than 2027.
Previous options for the location of the Amtrak station, such as near the New River Valley Mall or at the Cinnabar site, failed due to high costs and challenges such as the Merrimac Tunnel.
If the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority acquires the Manassas Line, the main station in Christiansburg would be Cambria Station, which includes the historic depot building that served passengers from 1906 to 1979.
The fact that Amtrak is coming to the New River Valley two years earlier than expected is not the only advantage.
Officials say the move to Cambria Station would save more than $100 million, reducing project costs from $568 million to $440 million.
While the extension to Christiansburg is still the focus over the next few years, this new contract opens the door for possible service to Radford, a third train to Roanoke and a mainline to Bristol in the future.
The possible closure date of the Manassas Line is expected to be September 5th.
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