Passengers lined up in the boarding area and for a brief moment the platform was crowded and energetic. The Amtrak train arrived around 6 o’clock this morning and about 150 ticket holders boarded within minutes.
David Kingsley was the first passenger to arrive. He says this train service is opening doors for him. Kingsley has been a Roanoke resident since 1995 but he’s originally from the Tri-state area. He says he has had anxiety about air travel because of the September 11 attack.
“Part of the reason too I’ve put it off for so long, I lost friends when the Twin Towers came down and I’ve had a hard time, no matter how you come into New York.”
The new station will allow him to do more long distance traveling, having only visited New York once since moving to Virginia. But today He plans on spending the day in Lynchburg, something he’s never done before.
Benjamin Diamond was the second passenger to arrive. He says he’s a huge fan of trains, and he traveled all the way from South Carolina to make this trip.
Passenger service returns to Roanoke after a 38-year hiatus. The 105-million-dollar project is based on a 30-year agreement with Norfolk Southern.
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