Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA), joined by Norfolk Southern (NS) and state and local leaders, on April 24 broke ground on the New River Valley Rail Project in Christiansburg, Va. The project is part of VPRA’s Transforming Rail in Virginia (TRV) initiative and encompasses railroad infrastructure that will allow the Authority to extend its Amtrak Virginia service from Roanoke to Christiansburg and return passenger rail service to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979.
The New River Valley Project includes:
- A new station platform with canopy.
- Parking lot and access roads.
- Track improvements and updated signaling system.
- Am Amtrak layover facility in nearby Radford.
The extension of service to Christiansburg will be via NS’s main line (N-Line), the result of an agreement between VPRA and NS completed last September through which VPRA purchased the Manassas Line and gained access to the N-Line. By expanding service from Roanoke to Christiansburg on the N-Line, VPRA will use existing infrastructure with a focus on developing a station stop at the Cambria site which previously served the community from 1904 to 1979. The project will also enhance NS’s freight service through the area.
“This is more than a rail project—it’s a long-term investment in regional access, mobility, and growth. Service to the New River Valley could begin as soon as 2027. We’re proud to be part of a solution that works for both freight and passenger rail,” NS said in a release.
The New River Valley Passenger Rail Station Authority—created by the Virginia General Assembly in 2021—has the lead in the renovation of the historic Christiansburg station building at Cambria. It will be called the New River Valley Station and renovations are expected to begin in 2027, according to the Authority…