(Thelma Drake, Director of Virginia Departmartment of Rail & Transportation, is leading the effort for passenger train service from Norfolk to Boston)

On July 20, Amtrak launched new daily commuter service between Richmond’s Stapes Mill station and the Northeast Corridor as far north as Boston.

The importance to Hampton Roads is that the train engine and refurbished passenger cars are the very ones that will depart Norfolk each morning around 5:00 am for points north.