Virginia to Pay $3.7 Billion for 225 Miles of Rail Track

"In the biggest boost in decades to train travel in the D.C. area, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and CSX announced a $3.7 billion agreement Thursday for the state to buy 225 miles of track and build new passenger rail improvements, reports Max Smith.

"Virginia will buy half of the CSX rail line from L’Enfant Plaza in D.C. to downtown Richmond, which will allow for many more daily Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express trains, and, for the first time, provide weekend service on VRE’s Fredericksburg Line," according to Smith.

The news is the latest in a string of positive planning and development news for intercity rail in Virginia. In September Planetizen picked up news of high ridership on two new Amtrak lines in Virginia, and in November, the District Department of Transportation announced plans for a bridge expansion to alleviate a bottleneck for Virginia Railway Express and Amtrak trains over the Potomac River.

Virginia rail lines will immediately expand service as a result of the state's purchase of the CSX line, as detailed in the article.