ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 1, 1995 TAG: 9512010071
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: THOMAS C. FISHER JR.
THOSE GOOD people who held a meeting on Nov. 17 proposing rail service from Bristol to Richmond and Washington demonstrated that, in addition to their great enthusiasm for the service, they simply aren't acquainted with the history of rail-passenger service in the United States.
The fact is that rail-passenger service never has paid for itself. For most of its history, passenger service was subsidized by government contracts for U.S. mail carried on passenger trains. The federal government subsidizes Amtrak, which presently operates the only passenger trains in the United States. State and local governments subsidize commuter services, which operate in all of our urban centers.
The study made of the Bristol-Richmond-Washington corridor projects 1 million passengers annually in 20 years. The Crescent, which has operated over one of the busiest corridors in our country from New York to New Orleans for 100 years, would be pleased now to carry 1,000 passengers daily or 365,000 a year. I suppose as long as people dream, they may as well dream big.
And then there is the Cardinal, a successful operation by Amtrak, with a parallel route from Cincinnati through Clifton Forge, Staunton and Charlottesville to Washington. It's happy to carry 500 to 600 passengers daily. The projected rail service from Bristol to Richmond and Washington anticipates a first-year load of 1,400 passengers daily.
Local enthusiasts speak of the use of high-speed tilt trains. These are state-of-the-art trains. They're only now being tested by Amtrak. Has anyone estimated the cost of this new technology?
If the local group really wants to get a true estimate of the cost of the operation envisioned, it only has to look to the rail corridor in North Carolina, from Raleigh to Charlotte. Amtrak operates the Carolinian, which begins in Washington and terminates in Charlotte on a daily schedule. It appears to be a successful operation. But the frequency of the trips isn't sufficient, so local interests purchased equipment for a second train and are operating between Raleigh and Charlotte - an operation very similar to the one contemplated for Bristol to Richmond and Washington.
In the meantime, if local people are so eager to ride the trains, I remind them of the Cardinal at Clifton Forge that runs three days a week with connecting bus service at the Sheraton, and the Crescent at Lynchburg. Each is just an hour from Roanoke.
Thomas C. Fisher Jr., of Roanoke, is a former Roanoke County School Board member.
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