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So far, CSX is losing money on the commuter rail service run by Virginia Rail Express, said Westbrook. The company receives $1.4 million in annual fees from VRE. The revenues do not compensate for delays in freight transport required to accommodate the commuter traffic during peak periods, he said.
The CSX right-of-way is wide enough to accommodate some expansion, and that might be a possibility, he said.
Bevon, along with George Conner, assistant administrator for the state rail and public transportation agency, and other officials from that department, met last week with AMTRAK representatives, to map out plans for creating a model of the system that may one day link Richmond with Washington.
State officials will be working closely with AMTRAK during the study, said Conner.
He said the agency also plans to hold public hearings on the high speed rail proposal “before we get too far into the study.”
High speed rail won’t come cheap. Installing the system between Richmond and Washington would cost some $350 million, Bevon said. However, he added that fast trains offer many benefits to the areas they serve.
Linking Norfolk, Richmond and Washington, D.C. would be a boon for business travelers, and it also would help draw tourists.
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