WFIR/Evan Jones

An announcement this month from northern Virginia is likely to increase passenger rail service to and from Roanoke – but you may have to be very patient to see it arrive. The Long Bridge, as it is known, connects all Virginia passenger rail service with Washington; it carries two tracks across the Potomac and is already overtaxed. Now, a second bridge with two more tracks dedicated solely to passenger rail has received key federal regulatory approval to proceed. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones: