BY MERLE MONAHAN/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
merlemonah@aol.com

WINDSOR—Windsor officials on Monday “gave very persuasive reasons” for the development of a passenger rail station in town.

Mayor Carita Richardson and members of town council did so while meeting with Thelma Drake, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and Isle of Wight County officials to discuss the proposal.

“The meeting was very informative, but of course, no decision can be made until a study is completed,” Richardson said.

That study is under way, Drake said.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board recently agreed to allocate more than $93 million in funding to establish passenger rail service between Richmond and Hampton Roads.

Windsor hopes to get a station because officials believe it would a boon to the town’s economy.

Isle of Wight and Southampton county supervisors and Franklin City Council have supported resolutions for the train station in or near Windsor. Windsor Town Council unanimously passed a similar resolution.

The proposed passenger trains would pass through Windsor on the Norfolk Southern tracks that run parallel to U.S. Route 460.

Isle of Wight County Supervisor Tom Wright said Monday economic development and continued growth in the town would most certainly bring in more people, including business executives, and the stop in Windsor would be beneficial to all parties.

Isle of Wight Tourism Director Judy Winslow agreed.

“They could take a shuttle through Isle of Wight to Smithfield to see its many historic sites,” Winslow said.

She added that high-speed rail in Lynchburg has increased tourism more than was expected.

Richardson said following the meeting, officials rode through town to see possible sites for the train station.