August 23rd, 2006 Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2006
Nancy Finch
804-864-5193
Lois Walker
703-549-4696
Thomas G. Tingle
757-220-0220
Virginians for High Speed Rail
Appeals to Virginia Senators
For Help on Proposed Loss of Amtrak
As 2007 Celebration Looms
Expected cuts in Amtrak service to Richmond’s Main Street Station, Williamsburg, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach would be a serious mistake, Virginians for High Speed Rail said today in appeals for help to Senator John Warner and Sen. George Allen.
Elimination of two of the four trains that serve those locations will occur in October, according to sources who declined to be identified.
Amtrak officials did not return telephone calls inquiring about the cuts but sources knowledgeable about the company’s train operations, said the cuts are expected to be made in October when daylight time ends.
“We have worked for four years to bring additional train service to the Williamsburg, Newport News, Jamestown area in time for the 2007 celebration,” said Thomas G. Tingle of Williamsburg, president of VHSR for the last two years.
“We took to Governor Warner and distributed widely a rail plan for five round trips daily from Washington to Richmond and Newport News that would serve the anticipated additional one million 2007 visitors to the Jamestown area,” Tingle said.
Tingle said it is astonishing that rail service to the Hampton Roads area would be cut back when train service is regularly used by tourists, college students and business travelers. Tingle said appeals will also be made to members of Congress and local elected leaders to urge Amtrak to protect regional train service.
While the VHSR proposed $175 million for this project did not happen, transportation planning has been a major part of the celebration preparation, according to Bob Hershberger, executive vice president of the Williamsburg Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the VHSR board.
The $54 million investment in Main Street Station renovation centered on the station’s becoming an inter-modal center. The renovation of the station was completed in 2003. Rail improvements at the station continue that would allow more trains to use the station than the four that now travel to and from Williamsburg and Newport News.
Work planned will allow service from Main Street Station for Florida trains, Southeast High-Speed trains, Hampton Roads, TransDominion Express (Bristol/Richmond), Virginia Railway Express and passenger commuter and light rail services.
-3-
Sources say trains No. 67 that leaves Main Street Station at 10:12 a.m. daily and No. 66 that leaves Newport News northbound at 4:20 p.m. and arrives at Main Street Station at 5:30 p.m. are the trains that will be eliminated. Boston is the ultimate destination. Trains arriving in Newport News are met by buses that carry passengers to Virginia Beach and Norfolk providing rail access to those Hampton Roads cities that are not served by passenger trains.
Lois Walker of Alexandria, the new president of Virginians for High Speed Rail, today sent letters to both Virginia senators urging them to take action on any loss of train service to Virginia. She requested the senators to exert their influence to save Amtrak service to the Peninsula where roads are already choked with traffic from high military, tourist, business, and student usage. Walker asked the senators to work with Amtrak and CSX, owners of the track, to encourage rail improvements that will make the route reliable for all users.