At a Glance

The $3.7 billion rail initiative, Transforming Rail in Virginia, was announced by the Commonwealth of Virginia and CSX Transportation (CSXT) in December 2019. Transforming Rail in Virginia’s purpose is to improve the reliability and frequency of passenger rail services throughout Virginia and beyond, make the Port of Virginia and Richmond Marine Terminal more competitive through improved freight rail transportation, and address congestion on our interstates, while growing Virginia’s economy.

The Commonwealth of Virginia promotes multimodal solutions to moving people and goods efficiently through transportation corridors. Virginia’s interstate capacity is continuing to decline and the demand for additional rail service continues to increase. Across Virginia and the Washington Metropolitan Region, auto travelers experience 320 million hours of delay annually due to congestion, resulting in $6.5 billion in annual congestion costs.¹ Current conditions and increasing demand mean more throughput capacity is needed in Virginia’s interstate corridors, and passenger rail provides the most cost-effective solution in the short and long term.

At the same time, passenger rail performance cannot improve, and services cannot grow, without expanding the existing infrastructure. Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and freight trains suffer delays repeatedly from train interference due to congestion on the railroad. The current Long Bridge over the Potomac River is one of the most significant rail bottlenecks along the entire East Coast of the United States. Long Bridge is currently at 98 percent capacity during the peak period.

Population in the Transforming Rail in Virginia corridor and adjacent urban regions continues to grow, increasing demand for reliable and safe travel options for passengers. Between 2030 and 2040, Virginia’s population is expected to increase from 8.7 million to 10.2 million.² In addition to overall population growth, changing demographics in the corridor and adjacent urban regions are increasing the demand for passenger rail service. Population growth is forecast to be highest in the Urban Crescent from Washington, DC, to Richmond to Hampton Roads and to disproportionately include young professionals and people over the age of 65.

Demand for freight movement through and within the corridor also is growing. The Port of Virginia is the eighth-largest port by tonnage in the United States and one of the fastest-growing ports on the East Coast.³ Over the next 20 years, containerized cargo volume coming into the United States is expected to triple. A large proportion of port cargo arrives or departs by rail. Ongoing expansion of Virginia’s deep-water ports and intermodal facilities, and the planned construction of the new Craney Island Marine Terminal, further increases the need for efficient freight shipping.

Infrastructure improvements are needed to both existing and growing future demand for freight and rail service in the corridor to improve mobility for Virginians.

¹ Texas Transportation Institute, 2019 Urban Mobility Report. https://mobility.tamu.edu/umr/congestion-data/
² University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. https://news.virginia.edu/content/population-projections-virginia-expected-become-10th-largest-state-2040
³ DC to Richmond Southeast High Speed Rail Tier II Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 2017.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT); the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA); VRE; Amtrak; CSXT, one of the largest private freight railroads in North America; and Buckingham Branch Railroad Company, the largest shortline railroad in Virginia. Each entity will have roles in the Transforming Rail in Virginia program to deliver and participate in projects to improve the reliability and frequency of passenger and freight rail services.

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) is a new, independent authority created by the Virginia General Assembly in 2020 that, among other responsibilities, will ultimately be responsible for delivering the Transforming Rail in Virginia program. The authority is dedicated to managing, funding, and growing statewide rail services and will partner with Amtrak to fund intercity passenger rail operations. VPRA has the authority to own and acquire rail infrastructure. The authority is governed by a statewide, geographically diverse board. VPRA will not operate passenger trains and will work with Amtrak (intercity passenger rail operator) and VRE (commuter rail operator), which are represented on the VPRA Board of Directors.

The Board is made up of 12 voting members, 1 ex-officio member from Amtrak, 1 ex-officio member from VRE, and the Director of DRPT, who serves as Chairperson. VPRA legislation requires the Board meet quarterly, at a minimum. While the Board is staffing up the organization, DRPT is providing services to VPRA on a temporary basis including financial services; human resources; payroll; procurement; information technology; passenger rail planning, design, and program management; administration; and communications services. DRPT also provides support to the Board.

The program allows Virginia to double Amtrak state-supported service and VRE Fredericksburg Line and Manassas Line service (including first-time-ever weekend and late-night service) during the next decade in exchange for Virginia acquiring 384 miles of CSXT right-of-way and 223 miles of track in the I-95, I-64, and I-85 corridors, and building incrementally during the next 10 years 37 miles of track in the I-95 corridor (including a new, two-track Long Bridge for passenger trains). The additional Manassas Line service is subject to agreement with Norfolk Southern (NS) since these trains operate on both CSXT- and NS-owned tracks.

Regarding the acquisition of railroad right-of-way and track, Virginia is acquiring approximately half of the CSXT-owned railroad right-of-way between Washington, DC, and Petersburg, VA (RF&P); all the CSXT-owned (but out of service) right-of-way between Petersburg, VA, and Ridgeway, NC (S-Line); and nearly all the CSXT-owned right-of-way between Doswell, VA, and Clifton Forge, VA (Buckingham Branch Railroad). Track within the right-of-way purchased by Virginia also becomes Virginia property. With the acquisition, Virginia has committed to a series of infrastructure improvements to the RF&P right-of-way that will allow for doubling Amtrak state-supported and VRE service, including the addition of first-ever VRE late-night and weekend service.

Transforming Rail in Virginia will be implemented through a series of capital improvements in the RF&P Corridor including: a new, passenger-dedicated, two-track Long Bridge in Washington, DC; construction of 14 miles of mainline track; and construction of six sidings and a new bypass that will allow passenger trains to switch over to the other side of the corridor without interfering with freight tracks. Two of the four phases, Phases 1 and 2, of infrastructure will be built out in the next 10 years. As improvements are completed, the additional capacity will allow more passenger rail service to come online. Future phases will allow for further separation of passenger and freight rail services, resulting in improved reliability and capacity.

The program is estimated to cost approximately $3.7 billion—$525 million for right-of-way and track acquisition and $3.2 billion for capital improvements in the RF&P Corridor in Phases 1 and 2. A combination of federal, state, and local/regional funding sources have been identified to fully fund Transforming Rail in Virginia.

The $3.7 billion total program cost does not include operations and maintenance costs; however, operations and maintenance costs for the new service and new infrastructure have been separately accounted for and funding has been identified in the Transforming Rail in Virginia financial plan.

Estimated costs are as follows:

On March 30, 2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced the completion of a set of transactional agreements with CSXT, a funding agreement with Amtrak, and operating and funding agreements with VRE. These are important milestones in implementing the Transforming Rail in Virginia program. Together, the CSXT, Amtrak, and VRE agreements provide Virginia the ability to expand Amtrak state-supported and VRE services, advance the separation of freight and passenger rail in the I-95 Corridor in Virginia and Washington, DC, and preserve future rail corridors.

The CSXT transaction includes the terms for acquisition of $525 million worth of right-of-way and track. This represents half of the rail corridor from Washington, DC, to Petersburg, VA, and the full corridors from Petersburg, VA, to Ridgeway, NC, and from Doswell, VA, to Clifton Forge, VA. The CSXT agreement finalizes roles and responsibilities in the two-phase, 10-year buildout of $3.2 billion in infrastructure improvements to include a new passenger-dedicated Long Bridge, the Alexandria Fourth Track, the Franconia to Lorton Third Track, the Franconia-Springfield Bypass, and six sidings.

The Amtrak funding agreement is an agreement under which Amtrak is partnering with Virginia to contribute $944 million to the Transforming Rail in Virginia program and make a long-term service commitment to the state for six new state-supported trains for a minimum of 30 years following the completion of the planned improvements.

VRE operating and funding agreements were finalized in December 2020. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) Boards met the first week in December and authorized the VRE chief executive officer (CEO) to execute the agreements. Under the operating agreement, additional train slots will be provided for VRE operations. Under the funding agreement, VRE is committing $15 million annually for a 10-year period (approximately FY 2022 to FY 2031), plus up to $7.5 million per year for an additional 20 years after that.

The Amtrak funding agreement provides approximately 30 percent of the funding ($944 million) for the improvements identified in the CSXT transaction. As a result of the transaction and Transforming Rail in Virginia capital improvements, Virginia’s state-supported Amtrak service will double.

With the CSXT transaction, Virginia will provide one new round trip between Washington, DC, and Norfolk, VA, and one new round trip on VRE’s Fredericksburg Line to commence as soon as practical based in part on the return to normal service levels due to COVID-19. Additional service will come online during the next decade incrementally as capacity improvements are completed in the right-of-way acquired by Virginia from CSXT. By the end of 2030, Amtrak state-supported service and VRE Fredericksburg and Manassas Line service will double (including new late-night and weekend service and assuming an agreement is reached with NS for the Manassas Line trains), with opportunities to expand even further beyond 2030.

• Amtrak Future Service Plan (PDF)
• Virginia Railway Express Future Service Plan (PDF)
• Transforming Rail in Virginia Program Map (PDF)

States can request additional Amtrak passenger rail service if the state pays a portion of the costs. State-supported trains are generally shorter-distance trains covering specific routes compared to the Amtrak long-distance trains, which traverse much longer distances covering multiple states. Virginia is one of 18 states providing state-supported service. In December 2012, Amtrak and DRPT inaugurated service to Petersburg and Norfolk from Washington, DC, and Richmond. In October 2017, the Washington, DC, to Lynchburg service was extended to Roanoke.

Virginia will own 384 miles of railroad right-of-way and 223 miles of track.

• 145 miles of right-of-way and 44 miles of track from Washington, DC, to Petersburg, VA, along the RF&P Railroad. CSXT will retain two mainline tracks currently on the ground, and any additional track will transfer to Virginia
• 164 miles of right-of-way and 179 miles of track on Buckingham Branch Railroad (BBRR) from Doswell, VA, to Clifton Forge, VA
• 75 miles of out-of-service right-of-way from Petersburg, VA, to Ridgeway, NC

The Buckingham Branch Railroad Company (BBRC) is the largest short line railroad company in Virginia and operates 275 miles of track over four divisions (between Bremo and Dilwyn, Richmond & Allegheny, Southern, and Norfolk). A short line railroad is a small- or mid-sized railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance relative to larger, national railroad networks. CSXT owned all of the BBRR between Richmond and Clifton Forge and held a lease with the BBRC to operate and maintain the railroad. BBRR dispatches trains for CSXT and Amtrak and has eight interchanges each with CSXT and NS, creating freight connections across North America.

With the CSXT transaction, Virginia will own a portion of the BBRR between Clifton Forge and Doswell. CSXT will retain ownership of the line from Doswell to Richmond. Virginia will have an agreement with the BBRC for their continued operation and maintenance of the line. The BBRR purchase preserves this corridor for potential expanded passenger rail service in the future.

The S-Line is an out-of-service rail corridor in Virginia and North Carolina. Virginia is acquiring the entire abandoned right-of-way section owned by CSXT from Petersburg, VA, to Ridgeway, NC. The S-Line is a key link in the Southeast High-Speed Rail (SEHSR) Corridor and the purchase preserves this corridor for potential future passenger rail service. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded North Carolina a $47.6 million Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant to help the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) purchase and preserve the rail corridor between Raleigh, NC, and Ridgeway, NC.⁴  If the North Carolina transaction moves ahead, together with Transforming Rail in Virginia, it will create the opportunity for a future passenger corridor to be built between Richmond, VA, and Raleigh, NC, along the selected alignment from the Richmond to Raleigh Southeast High Speed Rail environmental study completed in March 2017.

⁴ https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/fras-consolidated-rail-infrastructure-and-safety-improvements-crisi-program-fy20-project

During the next 10 years, CSXT will continue to dispatch and maintain the RF&P railroad, the terms of which will be detailed in an operating agreement. The agreement provides the terms and conditions for Amtrak and VRE’s operation on Virginia-owned tracks. Amtrak will dispatch trains from Alexandria, VA, to Washington Union Station upon completion of the Phase 2 improvements on behalf of Virginia and points further south once future improvements are made allowing for further separation of passenger and freight services.

BBRC will continue to dispatch and maintain the BBRR through an agreement with the Commonwealth.

CSXT, VPRA/DRPT, and VRE are leading individual Phase 1 and 2 projects through project development, design, and construction with technical support from Amtrak. CSXT will continue to operate freight trains along the corridor and Amtrak and VRE will continue to operate passenger rail service while the program is delivered. All entities will participate in Program Management Team meetings regularly to coordinate and manage capital projects and service elements and to minimize disruption to existing passenger and freight rail services due to construction.

With respect to VPRA, while the Authority is being mobilized, DRPT is providing services on a temporary basis including passenger rail planning, design, and program management and support to the Board. When fully staffed and operational, VPRA will lead delivery of the Transforming Rail in Virginia program.

The corridor is generally designed to fit four rail tracks within the existing CSXT right-of-way (with the exception of downtown Ashland and downtown Richmond); however, there may be circumstances where it is in the best interest of the project to acquire small amounts of right-of-way. These circumstances will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and VPRA will follow the required Commonwealth of Virginia right-of-way acquisition process.

DRPT, acting on behalf of VPRA, is the responsible agency for Transforming Rail in Virginia communications. DRPT has contracted with CSXT and VRE to lead a subset of Phase 1 and 2 projects through project development, design, and construction. DRPT will work with program partners to deliver consistent messaging that engages diverse stakeholders. In addition to program-level communications, which will include regular project briefings, various project development activities such as design public hearings, right-of-way acquisition, and construction notification will be coordinated.

Transforming Rail in Virginia also has a centralized website, transformingrailva.com, and email distribution lists.

DRPT has been coordinating planning efforts with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and neighboring states for the SEHSR Corridor. Established in 1992 as one of the five original national high-speed rail corridors by USDOT, the SEHSR aims to provide faster and more reliable rail service between Washington, DC; Richmond, VA; North Carolina; and points south. The corridor has been broken down into several segments, which have federal National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) studies advancing on different timelines, including DC to Richmond Southeast High-Speed Rail (DC2RVA).

Transforming Rail in Virginia is advancing improvements and increased passenger service levels that are consistent with the SEHSR and DC2RVA.

The DC2RVA Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD), along with the Long Bridge Project FEIS and ROD, provides the environmental clearance for the majority of the rail projects between Washington, DC, and Richmond, VA. Transforming Rail in Virginia is delivering improvements and increased passenger service levels that are consistent with DC2RVA and the Long Bridge projects.

Virginia has assumed sponsorship of the Long Bridge project from DDOT, which was outlined in the Long Bridge FEIS and ROD. All Transforming Rail in Virginia projects will be completed within designated environmental clearances applicable to each project.

Transforming Rail in Virginia – Phases 3 and 4 will result in dedicated passenger track where VRE operates on the Fredericksburg Line.

Phase 3 will result in the completion of the third track to Arkendale by connecting sidings constructed in Phases 1 and 2. Phase 3 incorporates a third track on the Occoquan River crossing and Woodbridge  station improvements.

Phase 4 will result in the completion of the third track to Spotsylvania by connecting sidings constructed in Phases 1 and 2. Phase 4 incorporates a third track on the Rappahannock River crossing and Fredericksburg station improvements.

Phases 3 and 4 will start when Virginia has identified funding for those projects. The completion of Phases 3 and 4 will allow for further passenger rail service in the corridor and DRPT/VPRA will continue to apply for additional federal funds to advance these projects.

The demands of freight and passenger trains are due to the limited availability of track capacity and levels of track priority.

Transforming Rail in Virginia is a path forward to future, full separation of freight rail and passenger service in the RF&P Corridor so Virginia, Amtrak, and VRE can work together to coordinate and grow services according to market demand rather than being driven by the timing of relieving capacity constraints.

Once Virginia completes construction of a separate passenger rail corridor, Virginia and CSXT will benefit from freight-dedicated tracks free of passenger rail traffic. This will allow CSXT to better serve the Port of Virginia and Richmond Marine Terminal, which are seeking an increase in rail services to address expansion plans and support increasing demand to transport freight goods by rail due to congestion on the vehicular road network.

Twenty-six states have acquired parts of the rail lines within their states to better preserve and support the growth of rail services. For example, Michigan purchased right-of-way and track from NS in 2012 to support the implementation of high-speed passenger rail service. The Michigan Department of Transportation now manages 665 miles of state-owned rail lines. NCDOT is discussing with CSXT the purchase and preservation of the rail corridor between Raleigh, NC, and Ridgeway, NC, to allow, together with Transforming Rail in Virginia, for a future passenger corridor to be built between Richmond, VA, and Raleigh, NC. Transforming Rail in Virginia represents a significant step forward for the Commonwealth to control its rail destiny.