Amtrak took over intercity passenger rail service in the United States on May 1, 1971. Ex-
Seaboard Coast Line trains (, , and ) continued to use
Broad Street Station in Richmond, while the Newport News section of the ex-
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (later ) continued to use
Main Street Station. Amtrak abandoned Broad Street Station on November 15, 1975, with trains moving to Richmond Staples Mill Road station in suburban Henrico County. The
James Whitcomb Riley moved from Main Street to a station at Ellerson (
Mechanicsville) on October 15, 1975. A second island platform was added around 2009. The parking lot was doubled in size in 2018.
Future plans In May 2019, the federal and state governments approved the
DC to Richmond plan for expanded rail service between Washington and the Richmond area. This plan would include improvements to Staples Mill station: two accessible platforms, a pedestrian overpass or underpass, and replacement of the station building. All Richmond trains would stop at both Staples Mill and Main Street, after extensive track improvements. A new bridge would be built over the James River, and a rail yard constructed in South Richmond. The 2019 plan is coordinated with updates to the
Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor plan. In October 2024, the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority was awarded a $5.8 million federal grant to improve platforms and accessibility and add a platform canopy at the station. ==References==