Bill to provide more money for rail fund advances in House

A bill that would allow for more money to go into the Commonwealth Rail Fund, proposed by Del. Chris Runion, R-Augusta, advanced 8-0 in the Transportation and Safety Subcommittee in the House of Delegates Wednesday.

HB 1603, which was first filed on Jan. 3, would allow for the allocation of the Commonwealth Rail Fund, which supports the development of rail infrastructure, rolling stock and railway facilities under the shortline railway preservation and development fund. A shortline railway is a railroad that connects local community rail lines to transcontinental ones. 

“The bill retains the current provisions granting 93% of fund moneys to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority and 7% to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation,” according to the Virginia Legislative Information System.  

This bill would remove the $4 million cap on the Commonwealth Rail Fund and allow for more money to be transferred out to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Shortline Railway Preservation and Development Fund.

“No fiscal impact, just rejiggering the money around,” Runion said.

Rob Bohanan, who spoke on behalf of the Virginia Railway Association, said the nine shortline railways in Virginia have increasingly become more expensive to maintain. 

“The RPF has been a great fund that has helped Virginia’s shortline railroads become more competitive and offer a cost effective transportation of goods,” Bohanan said.  

A regular project for the railway is estimated at around $1 million. In the last three years the average amount requested from RPF’s funding has averaged $25.5 million, Bohanan said. 

“This [amendment] doesn’t solve the problem, but it does help,” Bohanan said. The amendment was passed 8-0.