LYNCHBURG — The self-supporting Lynchburg-to-Washington passenger train is safe from federal budget cuts under an appropriations bill approved in Congress.
Eleven other state-supported regional trains in Richmond and other parts of Virginia will continue to receive federal funding under H.R. 2112, which gives Amtrak nearly as much operating money as it received last year.
“It’s good news,” said Rex Hammond, president of the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Rail advocacy groups sounded an alarm in September when a House of Representatives subcommittee proposed to cut all state-supported passenger rail service in Virginia and across the country. The cut would have endangered the Lynchburg train, known as the Northeast Regional. The route comes through Charlottesville.
Hammond, who reacted calmly then, said Wednesday “we all understand the continuing scrutiny of federal budget line items. We need cuts in federal spending, but it needs to be in a surgical manner.”
The House-proposed cuts to Amtrak funding were restored in a conference with senators, resulting in a bill approved Nov. 18.
Sixteen Virginia mayors and 22 business and nonprofit advocates of passenger rail service supported Amtrak funding in letters to the state’s congressional delegation.
The Lynchburg-to-Washington train has exceeded Amtrak’s expectations since it began operating in October 2009.
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