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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 15, 1995                   TAG: 9511160024
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

HEARING SET ON PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE

Those interested in rail passenger service between Bristol and Richmond and Washington, D.C., will have a chance to express their views to state officials Thursday at a public hearing in Roanoke.

The Virginia Department of Rail Transportation will hold a hearing at the Roanoke City Council Chambers from 5:30-7:30 p.m. to take comments from residents on a study the state conducted on the feasibility of passenger service.

The proposal, which was found to be economically practical, would provide twice-a-day passenger train service to Bristol, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville and several other localities. The service would use modern tilt train equipment for faster speeds.

The study, which was concluded earlier this year, is the first step of a two-step analysis of the viability of bringing rail passenger service to Southwest Virginia. The next step will look at potential ridership, revenue and expenses in more detail, and will formulate a plan for beginning service.

Other hearings are being held: tonight in Bristol at City Hall, and Monday night in Lynchburg at the Central Virginia Planning District Commission. Those two-hour hearings begin at 6:30.

by CNB