Rail News

Every summer the temperature outside heats up and Virginia Railway Express trains slow down.

Heat restrictions imposed by CSX Corp. caused an average VRE train delay of eight to nine minutes between May and August 2006, although on a few days, delays were far longer.

Sen. Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania County, got an earful about heat restrictions this fall from commuters during a public meeting on Fredericksburg-line service.

"It's almost become a way of life down here, to understand VRE is delayed or late," Houck said.

Since starting service in 1971, Amtrak has struggled to get on the right track -- usually because it didn't have enough money to buy new equipment and to fix tracks and bridges.

The key to building a better railroad, Amtrak's new chief said recently, is establishing new relationships with rail-hungry states like Virginia.

"Our future is to pivot the whole organization to the states," said Alexander Kummant, who took Amtrak's throttle as president and chief executive officer in September.

RICHMOND - As Democratic legislators grumbled Friday over details of a Republican-authored transportation plan, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine acknowledged his own reservations but insisted he wants to work with GOP leaders to ease traffic congestion.

With Virginia’s highway system becoming more and more congested railroads may soon play an even more significant role in transporting cargo in the commonwealth.
That could mean more good economic news for Culpeper.
The town was a key railroad hub for most of the 19th and a good part of the 20th centuries.

I read your January cover story on transportation gridlock with great disappointment. Never once were transportation alternatives such as rail or transit mentioned. Nor was Virginians for Better Transportation mentioned that started an education and advocacy campaign three years ago and continues today.