(The following story by Uriah A. Kiser appeared on the News & Messenger website on May 24, 2010.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The new passenger train between Lynchburg and Boston is doing better than anyone thought it would.
The Amtrak train that provides a one-seat ride between the two cities each weekday on the system’s busy Northeast Corridor, and stops twice each weekday in Manassas, saw 11,365 riders between October and March, according to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
If the trend continues, officials say the train will exceed its annual ridership goal of 51,000 riders by more than 4,000 passengers and could beat annual revenue estimates of $2.6 million by $260,000.
“Today’s surplus in operating funds for the Lynchburg train will help fund operating shortfalls over the next three years of demonstration service,” said Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation Director Thelma Drake. “It’s important to remember that passenger rail ridership fluctuates, and we still have a long way to go before the end of the three-year period.”
Virginia agreed to fund the Lynchburg train as well as a new weekday train between Richmond and Boston during a three-year pilot project to see if passenger rail service could gain traction in the state.
The Richmond train was supposed to launch in December, but due to setbacks, it will launch later this summer.
“With the Richmond train, the original plan was to add a trip to Newport News, but the track between Richmond and Newport News is mostly a line of single track, which would make it difficult to run freight and passenger trains on the same line,” said Virginia Association of Railway Patrons Steve Dunham. “Having another pair of trains to and from Richmond will be helpful, but we really look forward to having an increase in service to Hampton Roads or Norfolk.”
If Lynchburg continues to grow, and a guaranteed source of funding beyond the pilot program is found, the Lynchburg train could be extended to Roanoke, and the Richmond train to Hampton Roads, said Drake.
Factors that could change ridership are an interruption in service, fuel prices, unemployment levels, weather and service changes, she added.
The driving force behind creating the Lynchburg train was business people who wanted a more direct route into Washington, said Dunham. That could explain the growth in passengers at each station along the line, including 68-percent growth at the Lynchburg station and a 40-percent boost at the Culpeper’s station over the past year, according to DRPT.
While Amtrak is reveling in the success of the train, news of its success comes as Virginia Railway Express is exploring a possible lawsuit against Amtrak, said Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm.
After losing a bid last fall to continue operating the commuter trains, Amtrak has been accused of interfering with the hiring process of employees of the new company, French-based Keolis Rail Services.
Amtrak officials deny the claim and say they have done everything they can to maintain service during the transition.
The change marks the first time in 17 years Amtrak has not operated or maintained VRE trains.