Newport News station

Former Amtrak inter-city train station in Newport News, Virginia

For the current station, see Newport News Transportation Center.

Newport News, VA

Newport News station building, June 2007

General information
Location| 9304 Warwick Boulevard
Newport News, Virginia
United States
Coordinates| 37°01′22″N 76°27′07″W﻿ / ﻿37.0228°N 76.4519°W﻿ / 37.0228; -76.4519
Owned by| Amtrak, CSX and Newport News Parking Authority
Line(s)| CSX Peninsula Subdivision
Platforms| 1 side platform
Tracks| 1
Connections|  Amtrak Thruway
Hampton Roads Transit: 106, 107
Construction
Parking| Yes
Accessible| Yes
Other information
Station code| Amtrak: NPN
IATA code| ZWW
History
Opened| October 1981
Closed| August 2024
Passengers
FY 2023| 124,877[1] (Amtrak)
Former services
| Preceding station  |  Amtrak | Following station

|
|

Terminus |  | Northeast Regional |  | Williamsburg

toward Boston South or Springfield

| Twilight Shoreliner |  | Williamsburg

toward Boston South

| Colonial

1976-1992

|  | Lee Hall

toward Boston South

Services at pre-1981 station

| Preceding station  |  Amtrak | Following station

|
|

Terminus |  | James Whitcomb Riley

until 1976

|  | Lee Hall

toward Chicago

| James Whitcomb Riley and George Washington

until 1974

Preceding station  | Chesapeake and Ohio Railway | Following station
Morrison

toward Cincinnati

|  | Main Line  |  | Hampton

toward Washington, D.C. or Phoebus

Location

Newport News station was an Amtrak inter-city train station in Newport News, Virginia. When it closed, it was the southern terminus of two daily Northeast Regional round trips. It has a single side platform adjacent to a large CSX rail yard. An Amtrak Thruway motorcoach connection to Norfolk station effectively doubles the frequency between each station and Washington. It was replaced by the Newport News Transportation Center.

## History

[edit]

### Chesapeake & Ohio

[edit]

Early postcard of the 1892-built station

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) under Collis Potter Huntington completed the Peninsula Extension to the small town of Newport News in 1881. This allowed the C&O to transport West Virginia coal to Hampton Roads – the largest warm-water port on the East Coast – and directly compete with the Norfolk and Western Railway. Between the coal exports and Huntington's Newport News Shipbuilding Company, Newport News soon became a major shipping and industrial area.[2]

Ferry service between Norfolk and Newport News began in 1883, though the first passenger train station at Newport News was not built until 1892.[3] The multi-story brick structure, Victorian with a large clock tower,[4] was built on the waterfront at 23rd Street. A train shed stretched onto a pier so that passengers could transfer directly between trains and ferries.[2]

By the 1930s, the station was in poor shape, having settled significantly due to the soft soil. It was demolished in 1940 and replaced with a smaller two-story brick station.[3] The new station was constructed on a concrete base 1 foot (0.30 m) above the 1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane flood level, and its pilings were driven 90 feet (27 m) underground to prevent settling.[3]

Between 1953 and 1954, the C&O stopped using Phoebus, Virginia to the east as the terminus of its Norfolk/Hampton Roads area passenger trains. The company shifted that terminus, by then being for the George Washington and other passenger trains, to Newport News station.[5][6]

When Amtrak took over intercity passenger service in the United States on May 1, 1971, the C&O had served Newport News with three daily round trips: the Newport News sections of the George Washington and Fast Flying Virginian/Sportsman, plus a Newport News-Richmond trip.[7]

### Amtrak

[edit]

The 1940-built station in 1978

Amtrak kept only one daily round trip to Newport News – a section of the Newport News-Cincinnati George Washington. It was combined with the James Whitcomb Riley on July 12, 1971, to provide through service to Chicago.[8]: 38 The George Washington name was used for the eastbound section until May 19, 1974.[8]: 41 On June 14, 1976, the Newport News section of the Riley was replaced with the Washington-Newport News Colonial.[2]

Ferry service had been replaced by buses through the Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel upon its 1957 opening, making the waterfront location less desirable for a train station. The station was moved to its current location along the CSX line in October 1981. The 1940-built station remains standing and now serves as a restaurant.[3]

Service was reduced to one daily round trip from 2020 to July 11, 2022.[9]

### Replacement

[edit]

Main article: Newport News Transportation Center

Future Amtrak station under construction near the airport

The current facility was planned to be replaced with two new stations—a large intermodal station near the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport and a smaller station in downtown Newport News. The city planned to begin design work for the larger station in the summer of 2011, for an opening sometime before 2016.[10] Construction for the new intermodal station near the airport began in July 2020. The project will cost $47 million and was originally expected to be completed by the summer of 2022.[11] Amtrak service to the new station started on August 22, 2024.[12]

A third Northeast Regional weekday round trip is planned, as of 2020, under a major spending initiative by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: Commonwealth of Virginia" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
2. ^ a b c "Newport News, VA (NPN)". Great American Stations. Amtrak.
3. ^ a b c d "History". The Train Station Restaurant.
4. ^ "[Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Station at Newport News, Virginia, with clock tower]". Library of Congress. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
5. ^ "Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, Condensed Through Schedules". Official Guide of the Railways. 86 (7). National Railway Publication Company. December 1953.
6. ^ "Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, Condensed Through Schedules". Official Guide of the Railways. 87 (7). National Railway Publication Company. December 1954.
7. ^ The C&O/B&O Railroads Passenger Timetable effective June 10, 1967. Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. June 10, 1967 - via Wikimedia Commons.
8. ^ a b Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34705-3.
9. ^ "Amtrak Increases Daily Service to Norfolk" (Press release). Amtrak. June 21, 2022.
10. ^ Lawlor, Joe (January 15, 2011). "New train stations could be coming to Newport News". Newport News Daily Press. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
11. ^ "Newport News breaks ground on new transportation center". www.masstransitmag.com. July 23, 2020.
12. ^ "Amtrak Virginia to Begin Service to New Transportation Center in Newport News". Amtrak Media. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
13. ^ "Virginia Governor Ralph Northam – December". www.governor.virginia.gov.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newport News station.

* Newport News, VA – Amtrak
* Newport News, VA – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
* Newport News Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide – Train Web)
* The Train Station

* v
* t
* e

Amtrak stations in Virginia

Active stations|

* Alexandria
* Ashland
* Burke Centre
* Charlottesville
* Clifton Forge
* Culpeper
* Danville
* Fredericksburg
* Lorton
* Lynchburg (Kemper Street)
* Manassas
* Newport News Transportation Center
* Norfolk
* Petersburg
* Quantico
* Richmond–Main Street
* Richmond–Staples Mill Road
* Roanoke
* Staunton
* Williamsburg
* Woodbridge

Former stations|

* Bedford
* Christianburg
* Farmville
* Franconia–Springfield
* Lee Hall
* Lynchburg (Woodall Road)
* Monroe
* Narrows
* Newport News
* Nottaway County Station
* Petersburg (Fleet Street)
* Petersburg (River Street)
* Richmond–Ellerson
* Suffolk
* Williamsburg–Pottery Factory

Proposed stations|

* Bedford
* Christianburg

* v
* t
* e

Transportation in the Hampton Roads Region

Administered by HRTPO, HRTAC, CBBT Commission, VDOT and Commonwealth Transportation Board

Water
crossings|

| Bridges|

* Berkley Bridge
* Campostella Bridge
* Coleman Bridge
* Gilmerton Bridge
* High Rise Bridge
* James River Bridge
* Jordan Bridge
* Lesner Bridge
* Veterans Bridge
* West Norfolk Bridge
* Great Bridge Bridge

|

Tunnels|

* Downtown Tunnel
* Midtown Tunnel

Bridge–Tunnels|

* Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel
* Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel
* Monitor–Merrimac Memorial Bridge–Tunnel

Ferry|

* Jamestown Ferry
* Elizabeth River Ferry

Aviation, rail and
transit services|

| Mass transit|

* Hampton Roads Transit
* The Tide (light rail network)
* Williamsburg Area Transit Authority
* Suffolk Transit
* VB Wave

|

Intercity rail|

* Amtrak Northeast Regional
* Newport News Transportation Center
* Norfolk station
* Williamsburg station

Commercial aviation|

* Norfolk International Airport
* Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport

General aviation|

* Hampton Roads Executive Airport
* Suffolk Executive Airport
* Franklin Municipal Airport
* Chesapeake Regional Airport

Military aviation|

* Chambers Field
* Langley Air Force Base
* Naval Air Station Oceana
* Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress

Planned projects|

* Elizabeth River Tunnels Project
* I-64 Widening
* Southside
* Peninsula
* HRBT Expansion
* Southeastern Parkway
* US 460 Bypass
* Virginia Beach Light Rail Extension

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