ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Commuter rail operator Virginia Railway Express will contribute almost $195 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s purchase of rail right-of-way from CSX Transportation as part the effort for long-term expansion of passenger service.
VRE announced Wednesday it would contribute $119.2 million from the proceeds of a bond sale that closed on June 28, as well as another $75 million over 10 years on a pay-as-you-go basis, toward the $3.7 billion deal first announced in 2019 [see “Virginia, CSX announce major rail infrastructure plan,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 20, 2019]. The deal, including participation by VRE and Amtrak, was finalized in March 2021 [see “Rail and transportation officials sign agreement …,” News Wire, March 30, 2021]
“This bond issuance demonstrates our commitment to revolutionizing rail travel in the region,” VRE CEO Rich Dalton said in a press release. “As a major beneficiary of Transforming Rail in Virginia, VRE has worked to identify opportunities to support this important initiative.”
The funds will go to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, which is managing the project.
“This financial contribution from our VRE partners will enable us to increase and improve service, making VRE a viable option for even more Virginians,” said DJ Stadtler, executive director of the rail authority. “We thank VRE for their foresight and commitment to expanding passenger rail in the commonwealth.”
Sounds like VRE is getting a deal. Only 3.005 Billion to go.
hopefully this will allow weekend service to become a thing