A stretch of rail track on the lower level of Union Station that was previously used for train storage is now serving VRE and Amtrak passengers as Union Station’s newest platform, Track 22.
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Activating the new platform required installing new tacks, rebuilding the platform itself, and rehabilitating the historic columns at the 118-year-old station.
The Track 22 platform is accessible by a new hallway, elevator, escalator and stairs that are all connected to the station.
The track will primarily serve VRE trains, as well as Amtrak Long Distance and Amtrak Virginia trains that connect the U.S.’ Northeast corridor with dozens of destinations across the Southeast.
Amtrak awarded Skanska USA the Track 22 reconstruction project in 2020. It received a $19 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to fund a portion of the construction project.
The project was originally expected to be completed in 2022.
Amtrak assumed responsibilities for the day-to-day management and operations of Union Station a year ago. It has since added a new ticket waiting area with more customer seating and introduced several new retail stores and restaurant choices at the station.
The company also modified the boarding process to speed up and reduce train boarding times.
