6/6/23

Both of West Virginia’s senators are applauding a new push by Amtrak that would restore daily service to its Cardinal rail line.

In a release yesterday, the agency said it’s seeking 716 million dollars in grant funding to cover 16 improvement projects nationwide.

Regarding the Cardinal line, which connects West Virginia to major hubs in the East and Midwest, Amtrak says it wants to return service to a daily operating schedule – up from the current three days per week.

The funding would come through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin called the move “a great step in connecting West Virginia communities.” His Republican counterpart, Shelly Moore Capito, called the rail a “crucial” aspect of Mountain State infrastructure.