Lynchburg Amtrak route 1 of 4 making profit

LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — Amtrak's route between Lynchburg and Washington, D.C., is one of four that turned a profit in 2011.

WDBJ reports (http://bit.ly/Z2Uevq ) that the route generated more than $10 million while operating costs were about $7 million. That makes it one of the nation's most successful passenger train routes.

Much of the success is attributed to the large number of college students who buy tickets in Lynchburg and Charlottesville. The route is also used by a growing number of businesses in the area. Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce president Rex Hammond says people feel like this is the region's service and not an Amtrak service, so they've embraced it.

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Information from: WDBJ-TV, http://www.wdbj7.com/