Ashland station (Virginia)

Ashland is an Amtrak intercity train station in Ashland, Virginia, serving Northeast Regional trains bound for Richmond, Newport News and Norfolk as well as many points north. The station is also designated as Ashland's visitor center. The tracks are lined with a cobblestone median in the center of town, making it a popular train-watching site for railfans.

Ashland, VA
Ashland station in October 2021 after renovations.
General information
Location112 North Railroad Avenue
Ashland, Virginia
United States
Coordinates37.7596°N 77.4812°W / 37.7596; -77.4812
Line(s)CSX RF&P Subdivision
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: ASD
History
Opened1866
Rebuilt1890, 1923, 1985
Passengers
FY 202221,894[1] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Richmond Staples Mill Road
toward Norfolk or Newport News
 Northeast Regional Fredericksburg
toward Boston South or Springfield
     Auto Train does not stop here
     Carolinian does not stop here
     Palmetto does not stop here
     Silver Meteor does not stop here
     Silver Star does not stop here
Former services
Preceding station Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Following station
Glen Allen
toward Richmond: Broad Street or Main Street
 Main Line Taylorsville
toward Washington, D.C.
Location

History
The Silver Comet stopping at Ashland on November 28, 1968

The station was built by the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad in 1923, replacing a station which was originally built in 1866 and rebuilt in 1890. The station was closed in 1967, but reopened in 1985.[2] It was originally served by the Colonial, and through numerous route changes over the years is now served by Hampton Roads-bound Northeast Regionals.

The Ashland station was racially segregated, like many railroad stations in the Southeastern U.S. built before the 1960s. It had separate waiting rooms for whites and blacks, served by a single ticket booth in the center of the building. The former black waiting room is now a museum filled with various RF&P railroad artifacts, including blueprints, model railroad trains, a bench that was once on display at the Smithsonian Museum, local newspaper and locally related magazine articles.

Construction of new platforms and mobile lifts for accessibility was completed in June 2022.[3]

References
  1. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: Commonwealth of Kentucky" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  2. Bowes, Mark (June 14, 1985). "Back on Track". Richmond News Leader.
  3. "Amtrak Completes Upgrades at Ashland Station" (Press release). Amtrak. June 7, 2022.

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