Construction Progress at Cambria and Radford

VPRA’s New River Valley project will enhance freight and extend passenger rail service along the corridor between Roanoke and the New River Valley (NRV). In 2024, VPRA and Norfolk Southern came to an agreement for purchase of the Manassas Line and operating rights on Norfolk Southern’s main line (N-Line) that will allow for expanded service, a passenger station at Cambria Rail Yard in Christiansburg, and a layover facility in Radford.

Future Passenger Station at Cambria
Construction on the future New River Valley passenger rail station is progressing on schedule. In October, Christiansburg Mayor and NRV Passenger Rail Station Authority Board Chair Michael Barber, Montgomery County Administrator and NRV Passenger Rail Station Authority Board Vice Chair Angela Hill, NRV Passenger Rail Chair Dr. Raymond Smoot, and NRV Regional Commission Executive Director Kevin Byrd joined VPRA and Norfolk Southern representatives for a tour of the future station site at Cambria.

Crews are continuing to install erosion and sediment measures, as well as storm sewer structures and piping. The contractor has poured tiers of cellular concrete into silt fence quadrants in what will become the parking lot area. Cellular concrete is a type of lightweight concrete that’s filled with tiny air bubbles, making it much lighter than regular concrete, but strong enough to use for leveling the ground in this area. Excavation will continue along the west end of the future platform, where the contractor will fill in with concrete beams that will support the eventual platform. The grade beams are supported by over 100 drilled pier foundations along the nearly 1,000-foot platform.

Norfolk Southern has delivered the necessary track components to build the pocket track which will bring passenger trains to the platform, including rails, cross ties, and turnouts. Crews have installed the western turnout, which is a piece of rail infrastructure that lets a train move from one track to another.