News 5 WCYB – August 7, 2024 | By Caleb Perhne

BRISTOL, Tenn. (WCYB) — New documents part of a federal study of long-distance passenger rail list a route through the Tri-Cities as the number one priority for implementation.

The nearly 200-page document outlines a potential concept of what could happen. It adds fuel to efforts to bring service to Bristol.

“It’s a great talking point,” Rep. Morgan Griffith said. “In fact, I’ll probably take it with me and start handing it out to my appropriators and saying look what’s number one. Just keeping track of what’s number one.”

(Federal Railroad Administration document)

(Federal Railroad Administration document)

The concept route goes from Houston to New York, with daytime stops in Atlanta and Chattanooga and night stops in Knoxville and Johnson City. Portions from Roanoke to New York and from Mobile, Alabama to Houston already exist.

“You’ve got to incorporate more than just Bristol in order to make it effective,” Griffith said. “I mean, wow, this is a whopping project.”

The concept stretches across 1,800 miles and would serve more than 5 million people.

“Besides the visitor and the tourism experience piece of it, people travel for work, and if you can get on a train and you can do your work while you’re traveling to DC or to Nashville or wherever you’re trying to go,” Bristol Chamber of Commerce CEO Beth Rhinehart said of the possibilities.

READ THE FULL DOCUMENT | FRA Long-Distance Study Regional Working Group Meeting 4

The study projects it could cost $5 billion to build and take 15 years. The next step is a report to Congress by the end of the year.

The potential for federal funding could boost Virginia’s efforts as it works on an expansion from Roanoke to Christiansburg.

“It’s everything we have been dreaming and working toward for decades in this community,” Rhinehart said. “I mean, this a critical piece of development that will change the landscape for not just Bristol but for all of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.”