The City Of Bristol Has Received A $250,000 Grant To Study The Feasibility Of Extending Amtrak Service From Roanoke To Other Sites. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission Approved The Grant At A Meeting In Wytheville. State Sen. Bill Grayson Said After The Meeting That The Study Would Be A First Step Toward Attracting Passenger Rail Service Into Far Southwest Virginia. Amtrak’s Northeast Regional Line Currently Connects Boston, New York And Washington To Lynchburg And Other Sites In Eastern Virginia. Current Plan Calls For The Service To Extend To Roanoke By 2017.