Virginia Association of Railway Patrons

Reports and articles

A Future for Rail Passenger Service in the Virginias

The Virginia Light Rail Symposium presentations are on the Virginians for High Speed Rail website

VARP Secretary Dick Peacock, Rest in Peace (May 2016)

VARP Founder John Czyzewski Dies (April 2015)

VRE Says Terror Threats Have Increased (August 2013)

Virginia Prepares to Pay More for Amtrak Services (On Track, summer 2011)

Amtrak’s Huntington, WV, Civic Conversation (On Track, summer 2011)

Promoting Amtrak with Road Signs in Virginia (On Track, summer 2011)

Decoding Amtrak’s Ticket Price Structure (On Track, summer 2011)

Amtrak Guest Rewards Program Treats You Right (On Track, summer 2011)

A Holiday Treat on My Way to the VARP Meeting (On Track, winter 2011)

New Lynchburg-Washington Amtrak Passenger Rail Service (On Track, winter 2011)

VARP testifies for Rail Authority Bill (On Track, spring 2009)

East Coast High-Speed Rail Summit (On Track, winter 2008)

Crowded Trains Require Courtesy (On Track, summer 2008)

Infrastructure Investment Benefits Freight and Passengers (On Track, summer 2008)

Charlotte’s New Light Rail System Offers a Pattern for Virginia (On Track, spring 2008)

Long-distance Coach Travel Tips (On Track, summer 2007)

Washington, DC, Freight Bypass Study (On Track, spring 2007)

A British View of Rail Service in the Virginias (On Track, summer 2006)

Let Modern Intermodal Trains Remove Truck Traffic from I-81 (On Track, summer 2006)

High-Speed Rail Workshop Reports 2006 (On Track, spring 2006)

2006 General Assembly Report (On Track, spring 2006)

VRE’s Fare Increase: VARP’s comments

Acela Express’s Poor Track Record A series in the Hartford (Conn.) Courant records the troubles Amtrak has had with its Acela Express (On Track, fall 2003)

Roanoke Considers Trolley Revival (On Track, fall 2003)

Coalition Seeks Rail Inclusion for I-81 Corridor Plans (On Track, summer 2003)

Make Your Voice Heard in Washington (On Track, spring 2003)

Rail Transit Plans Advance in Richmond (On Track, summer 2003)

Station reports

Fredericksburg A VARP report on station access and services at Fredericksburg, VA (Aug. 20, 1999)

Ashland A VARP report on station access and services at Ashland, VA (Aug. 19, 1999)

Crystal City A VARP report on station access and services at Crystal City, VA (Aug. 19, 1999)

Highlights of VARP’s Annual Meetings

March 7, 2015, in Alexandria. Speakers: Jim Mathews, NARP President & Chief Executive Officer; Chuck Riecks of Friends of the Cardinal; James Knighton, Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs, Maryland Transit Administration; David Zaidain, Union Station Project Director, Amtrak; and Thomas Hickey, Virginia Railway Express Chief Development Officer.

March 29, 2014, in Richmond Speakers: Jonathan Michel and Megan Burton of the Roanoke station design team; Jeremy Latimer of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation; Ray Amoruso of Hampton Roads Transit; Ralph Messera of Charlotte’s Metropolitan Transit Commission; and Harry Kollatz and Patrick Gregory, who are making the film Richmond Had Rail.

March 16, 2013, in Washington, DC Speakers: Dick Beadles, founder of Virginians for High Speed Rail; Chuck Riecks, West Virginia delegate to NARP and chairman of Friends of the Cardinal; Mike Testerman, president of VARP; Thelma Drake, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation; Ruby Siegel, vice president of Aecom, consultants to Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor; Doug Allen, chief executive officer of Virginia Railway Express; and Ross Capon, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Railroad Passengers.

March 3, 2012, in Williamsburg Speakers: John Edwards, Norfolk Southern’s General Director of Passenger Policy; Thelma Drake, Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation; Randy Wright, President of the Hampton Roads Public Transportation Alliance.

March 5, 2011, in Alexandria Speakers: Mayor William Euille of Alexandria; Tim Lovain, former Alexandria city council member; Patty Nicoson, head of the Dulles Corridor Rail Association; James Dougherty, Chief Safety Officer of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

March 1, 2010, in Richmond Speakers: Danny Plaugher, Executive Director of Virginians for High Speed Rail; Meredith Richards, President of Virginians for High Speed Rail and Founder of Charlottesville Rail; Chris Zimmerman, Vice-Chairman of the Arlington County Board.

March 7, 2009, in Fredericksburg Speakers: Michael Testerman, Rail Solution; Jay McArthur, Principal Officer, Amtrak’s Strategic Partnerships, East; Martin Wheeler, light rail operator for the Charlotte, NC, Lynx system and president of the Carolina Association for Passenger Trains.

March 1, 2008, in Richmond Speakers: Kevin Page of the Virginia Dept. of Rail and Public Transportation; Meredith Richards, representing the Piedmont Rail Coalition and Virginians for High Speed Rail; W. Randy Wright, representing Hampton Roads Transit; Bob Bryant of the Buckingham Branch Railroad.

March 3, 2007, in Quantico Speakers: Dave Johnson, Assistant Director of the National Association of Railroad Passengers; Kevin Page, Director of Rail, Virginia Dept. of Rail & Public Transportation; Jay Westbrook, CSX Assistant Vice President for Public-Private Partnerships; Bob Stewart, Vice President–Southeast of the National Association of Railroad Passengers; Dale Zehner, Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Railway Express.

Feb. 25, 2006, in Williamsburg Speakers: Jeanne Zeidler, Mayor of Williamsburg; Sheila Noll, President, Public Transportation Alliance of Hampton Roads; Dwight Farmer, Executive Director of Transportation for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

April 2, 2005, in Rosslyn Speakers: Jennifer Straub, deputy chief executive officer of Virginia Railway Express; Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth; Kevin Moore, incorporating director of Metro Riders; Alia Anderson, executive director of the Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation, Charlottesville.

March 27, 2004, in Richmond Speakers: State Senator John Watkins; Senior Transportation Engineer Alan Tobias of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation; Patty Nicoson of the Dulles Corridor Rail Association.