As someone personally affected by the numerous accidents that have occurred on Norfolk Southern's tracks this year, I am deeply concerned about the safety and efficiency of our rail system. The company is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy due to these incidents. It's time for a change.

In 2021, Amtrak announced a nationwide expansion project, fueled by President Biden's infrastructure bill and American Jobs Plan. This provides an excellent opportunity for Norfolk Southern to sell some of their tracks to passenger carriers like Amtrak. This move would not only help stabilize Norfolk Southern financially but also contribute significantly towards improving our country's rail infrastructure. Norfolk Southern does not deserve half of the tracks that they run on.

The sale of these tracks could potentially reduce accidents caused by poor maintenance and management, which has been a significant issue with Norfolk Southern this year alone. It would also allow for increased passenger train service across the country, providing more Americans with reliable transportation options.

Case in point, it would allow Virginia Railway Express to run more frequently, as it currently only runs on weekdays during rush hour. This is because the tracks are owned by Norfolk Southern. It has nothing to do with ridership, but ridership would drastically increase if both lines ran more frequently.

Likewise, more of Amtrak's routes could be electrified, like the corridor between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh that the Pennsylvanian runs on.

Just so that I am clear with everyone, passenger rail doesn't need to be profitable, nor should it be. It needs to serve people to its fullest potential possible. And that is the reason why passenger carriers deserve more track. They treat their employees better than any Class I freight railroad and they always put people over profit.

Corporate greed in any Class I Railroad (or any major corporation for that matter) is a very bad thing. And this is not just the case for Norfolk Southern.

We need your support in urging Norfolk Southern to consider this viable solution seriously. Please sign this petition and join us in advocating for safer, more efficient rail travel in America.