Supporter: I hope that you had an enjoyable holiday weekend to kick off summer, and hopefully mark the end of a challenging 18 months. As we prepare for life to return to normalcy, I wanted to share some opportunities over the summer to get outside our own bubbles and hear from the decision makers themselves, as well as give you an opportunity to engage about the future of rail in Virginia! Virtual Town Hall Series (free)  Town Hall 1 | June 15th at 1:00pm ET: “President Biden’s Vision for Rail” featuring Mr. Amit Bose, acting Administrator for the Federal Railroad Administration. This will be a great opportunity to learn about the Biden administration’s vision for rail, what exciting new policies are coming down the track, and what the next 3 plus years hold for our passenger rail network.  | |
 Town Hall 2 | July 15th at 1:00pm ET: “The True Story of the Virginia-CSX Rail Deal: Lessons Learned and the Future of Passenger Rail” featuring Mr. Stephen Gardner, President of Amtrak; and the Honorable Shannon Valentine, Virginia Secretary of Transportation. We’ve all seen the news about Virginia’s historic $3 billion rail deals that resulted in the Commonwealth owning over 400 miles of railroad corridors across the state. Now learn the behind the scenes details of how that deal came together and what it means for the future of passenger rail in Virginia and the Southeast! Our virtual Town Hall series is made possible by the generosity of our sponsors: Siemens Mobility, JBG Smith, Timmons Group, GuernseyTingle Architects, and the Carmel Church Development group. | |
Virginia’s 2022 Statewide Rail Plan Update  The Commonwealth (and VA Dept. of Rail & Public Transportation) is mandated to update their Rail Plan every few years and because of the above mentioned historic rail deals, they are in the process of updating their 20 year vision for rail in the state. As part of that process, they are conducting a public survey. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to take a few minutes and fill out their survey to let the state know your priorities for rail over the next couple of decades.  Once again, thank you for your support and generosity. All the great things that are happening in Virginia is because of you. Regards,  Danny Plaugher
Executive Director | |
