Norfolk Southern upgrades junction

By James Heffernan - jheffernan@nvdaily.com

FRONT ROYAL -- Norfolk Southern has reconfigured its rail junction in Warren County, eliminating a major choke point in the company's multi-state Crescent Corridor initiative.

The endeavor marks the final and most complex of six capacity improvement projects in Northern Virginia to handle more trains at higher speeds, the company said.

Specifically, the improvements include new and longer passing tracks between Manassas and Front Royal, five miles of double track near the Virginia Inland Port, improved signal and traffic control systems, and increased train speeds through Riverton Junction, the company said.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation pitched in $43 million toward the improvements, while Norfolk Southern contributed $20 million.

The additional capacity will help move more truck cargo to trains -- the goal of Norfolk Southern's Crescent Corridor, a 2,500-mile rail network spanning 11 states from Louisiana to New Jersey and including western Virginia -- as well as facilitate future passenger rail improvements in the commonwealth, according to Department of Rail and Public Transportation Director Thelma Drake.

The state estimates that trucks occupy between 20 percent and 30 percent of all traffic on I-81 -- more than any other corridor in Virginia. The number of big rigs passing through the Shenandoah Valley is expected to more than double to 7.1 million by 2035.

Both the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Virginia Department of Transportation say they are committed to doing whatever it takes to reduce congestion and increase safety on the valley's roads.

Rail initiatives like Crescent Corridor and CSX Corp.'s National Gateway program are deservedly gaining more attention, according to Del. Joe May, R-Leesburg, chairman of the Transportation Committee in the Virginia House of Delegates.

With more vehicles on the highways and fewer public funds available for improvements, the mentality among state lawmakers and transportation officials has to change, May said recently.

"We're having to see transportation in a different light," he said. "We will have to move a lot of freight by rail."

Speaker of the House William J. Howell welcomed Norfolk Southern's announcement.

"Mobility is a cornerstone of economic success for Virginia, and the efficient, safe and reliable movement of people and products is integral to improving the outlook for future jobs and prosperity in Virginia," Howell says in a statement.