Shenandoah Seeks Qualified Operator of Existing NS ‘B Line’
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
D&L Trail and Lehigh Gorge Scenic Ry. in Central PA (Courtesy of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Transportation Preservation Corporation)
The Northern Shenandoah Valley Transportation Preservation Corporation (Shenandoah), in partnership with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Historic District, has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a professional, qualified rail operator for the existing 48.5-mile out-of-service Norfolk Southern (NS) “B Line” between Broadway, Va., and Front Royal, Va., which is being facilitated to return the line to service, including freight rail, excursion rail, rail bikes, and a recreation trail within the right-of-way.
According to Shenandoah, the NS “B Line” has been out of service between Strasburg, Va., and Riverton, Va., following a derailment at the Riverton Junction (Front Royal) diamond crossing in 2020. Service north of Broadway to remaining customers at Shenandoah Caverns was discontinued in 2013. The railroad has not been legally abandoned, or filed for abandonment, by NS. A transfer of common-carrier responsibility to the new operator through a Surface Transportation Board (STB) filing, rather than an abandonment process, is desired.
Interest in development of a 50-mile trail over the existing right-of-way resulted in a proposed sale of the right-of-way to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2021 by NS for an agreed-upon amount for future trail usage only. A feasibility study for trail conversion was conducted for the Commonwealth. Local interests wishing to preserve freight rail service for economic development, and develop a new excursion operation, have organized as Shenandoah and have developed an alternative that “preserves the rail corridor with a parallel rail-with-trail concept as an alternative to the trail-only concept.”
Shenandoah, through an RFP (download below) process, seeks to find a qualified operator to fill the function of a common-carrier freight operator under federal jurisdiction “to assume responsibility of that function, as well as assist in the development of a new excursion operation.” Due to the current track conditions, according to Shenandoah, “this is assumed to be a phased approach expected to take a minimum of three years and be primarily funded by a combination of state and Federal funding for capital track rehab as well as parallel trail construction.”
Ownership of the corridor, Shenandoah says, is intended to be by a private, non-governmental non-profit entity, such as the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District or a government entity, such as the Commonwealth of Virginia, which in coordination with Shenandoah (or similar structure) “will have the ability to enter into a long-term contract with the operator to allow sufficient contract terms to justify some private investment on a recoverable basis.”
The intent of this selection process, Shenandoah says, is to select an organization for operation and maintenance of this railway line, and to complete the operating/management contract with potential railbike operations to begin by April 1, 2025, and rail operations to begin by October 1, 2025.
RFP responses are due July 26, 2024. The selected operator will be notified on August 15, 2024.
