Some rail advocates hope Virginia's new authority will help remove some of the politics out of rail policy – Greater Greater Washington
This article first appeared in the Virginia Mercury. When former Gov. Doug Wilder sold off the state’s interest in hundreds of miles of track and rail right of way in the early 1990s, the move was applauded by some as a prudent divestment to help balance the annual budget. Since then, though, the state has spent millions more on track improvements benefitting railroad corporations in exchange for every increase in passenger train service Virginia has sought. To avoid another such flash sale of Virginia’s rail infrastructure and to oversee an increasing focus on boosting passenger rail cap...