VPRA Expands Rail in Virginia with Manassas Line Purchase

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has purchased the Manassas Line from Norfolk Southern Corporation, furthering its mission to promote, sustain, and expand the availability of passenger and commuter rail service in Virginia. Through this agreement, VPRA also gained access to the railroad’s main line (N-Line) in Christiansburg, a key component to planned service expansion to the New River Valley.

The purchase of the Manassas Line will aid VPRA in expanding Virginia Railway Express (VRE) service with evening and weekend frequencies. Combined with the 2021 agreement with CSX, which provides for greater options on VRE’s Fredericksburg Line, VPRA can now support VRE as it moves from a commuter rail service with limited morning and evening trains during the weekdays to a regional rail service with trains throughout the weekday and into the weekends.

“Together with Norfolk Southern, we have worked hard to put together an agreement that brings more service to Northern Virginia, new service to the New River Valley, and makes rail a strong part of Virginia’s future transportation mix,” said DJ Stadtler, VPRA executive director. “We look forward to furthering our partnership with them to develop passenger rail service that travels where Virginians want to go when they want to go.”

With access to the N-Line, Virginians in the New River Valley will have state-supported Amtrak Virginia service much sooner than previously planned and at a lower cost. By expanding service from Roanoke to Christiansburg on the N-Line, VPRA will use existing infrastructure with a focus on developing a station at the Cambria site, which previously served the community from 1904 to 1979.

VPRA and Norfolk Southern first began detailed discussions on this agreement back in the winter. As VPRA developed plans to return passenger rail to the New River Valley, it became clear that service along the N-Line was the most cost effective and timely alternative. In addition, public input also suggested that the N-Line option with service to Cambria was strongly supported by the local community.

“This new agreement with Norfolk Southern allows passenger rail to reach Christiansburg years earlier and at a better location,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Shep Miller. “The deal achieves this while saving nearly $100 million. I commend Norfolk Southern for working closely with the Commonwealth to arrive at this much improved result.”