CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. — A study to determine what is needed to bring Amtrak service to Christiansburg and the New River Valley has been placed on hold because Norfolk Southern has halted its involvement.
The Roanoke Times reports that the $350,000 study has been put off indefinitely because NS wants to focus on other matters, according to officials with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
“They have told us that they are reluctant to talk to us now about extending passenger rail,” Michael McLaughlin, the department’s chief of rail transportation, told the newspaper, “due to problems in their freight network, especially south of Virginia.”
The railroad’s participation is needed because a potential site for the Amtrak station in Christiansburg involves tracks owned by the railroad.
Christiansburg is about 28 miles southwest of Roanoke, which is currently served by one Northeast Regional round trip daily.
