
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 27, 1990                   TAG: 9005310477
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ARLINGTON                                 LENGTH: Short

D.C. SUBURBS GET COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE

Commuter rail service from Fredericksburg and Manassas to the Washington, D. C., suburbs will begin in October 1991, the project director said.

"We have bought the equipment, and we are acquiring property and building stations," said Steve Roberts of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission. "We intend to go ahead with the service."

Roberts said Friday that Virginia Railway Express riders probably will have to transfer to the Metrorail system in Alexandria. He said that will hurt ridership.i

President Bush on Thursday vetoed a bill which would have allowed the trains to run across the Potomac River to Washington's Union Station.i

Conrail has refused to allow the trains to use its Potomac River bridge because the company fears possible liability problems. The Amtrak funding bill vetoed by Bush fully indemnifies conrail.i

Rep. Stan Parris, R-Fairfax County, said the states congressional delegation was confident the veto will be overridden, at least in the House. The original bill was passed in the House 322-93.

by CNB