News Archive

March 2003: TDX to Move Forward, Thanks to Successful Combined Efforts

The Committee to Advance the TransDominion Express is pleased to announce that the FY 2003-2004 state budget includes language expressing the intent to spend the already appropriated $9.3 million on pre-engineering.

Item 491 #16c-Language. “It is the intent of the General Assembly that the $9,339,000 in funding for the Trans Dominion Express (Bristol Rail) authorized in the Virginia Transportation Act of 2000 can be used to finance the pay-as-you-go cost for preliminary engineering, track upgrade, and rolling stock requirements as part of a comprehensive agreement established for such passenger rail under the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995.”

TDX Steering Committee Chairman, Dr. Charles Warren said, “This indeed is encouraging and allows the TDX to move forward.”

With the dire condition of the Commonwealth’s budget this year, lobbying efforts focused on protection of the $9.3M and the assurance that alternate funding for the TDX completion was a viable solution. Use of the new brochures and video tapes, combined with telephone calls, letters, and emails from our many supporters to our representatives and the conferees had the desired effect.

Alan Tobias, working with the Committee through his position with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, recently reported on a newly completed study. “Norfolk Southern has estimated a cost of $120 million for the improvements it considers necessary to operate the TransDominion Express trains. Our negotiations with NS are continuing. We are focusing our discussions on developing a package of improvements that accomplish NS’s interests in improving freight movement and our interests of implementing passenger rail service.”

The Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce staffs the Committee to Advance TransDominion Express, Inc., providing it with a headquarters and a legislative liaison.

For more information, please contact
Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce
(434) 845-5966, or email: info@lynchburgchamber.org

News Archive:

February 13, 2007: TDX Progress Stifled in Richmond

February 13, 2007: Letter to Governor Kaine on Behalf of TDX

February 13, 2007: A Message from TDX Chairman, French Moore, Jr.

June 27, 2006: The Three-Foot Rule

June 27, 2006: Legislative Progress and Administrative Changes

June 27, 2006: Meanwhile... Back at the Ranch, TDX Reaches Critical Juncture

July 25, 2005: TDX Discusses Next Steps: Organizational Models/Funding

July 25, 2005: TDX Reaffirms Support for Entire Route

July 25, 2005: Tennessee Connection - DC to Memphis!?

July 25, 2005: Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer: A New Perspective

March 31, 2005: Demonstration Project May Open Door for TDX

March 31, 2005: Track and Other Norfolk Southern Concerns

June 28, 2004: TransDominion Express Prepares for “Starter Train”

July 2003: Track Development at Farmville

July 2003: General Assembly 2003 and Beyond - TDX Making Headway

March 2003: TDX to Move Forward, Thanks to Successful Combined Efforts

June 22–26, 2002: TDX Committee sponsors successful study tour to Oregon and Washington State.

April 26, 2002: Train Station Revitalization in Lynchburg Attracts More Than 4,000.