Originally built in 1906 to replace a previous station, it was served by Norfolk and Western Railway passenger trains until 1971.

The N&W also operated the Birmingham–Washington Birmingham Special (unnamed after February 1970 and cut back to Bristol in August 1970), the New Orleans-Washington Pelican (discontinued, 1970) and the Memphis-bound Tennessean.

[5] In May 2016, the town purchased 1 acre (0.40 ha) of residential land off Franklin Street for potential future station use.

[6] In 2021, the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) and Norfolk Southern reached an agreement for the state to purchase part of the former Virginian Railway for service to the New River Valley.

[7] As of June 2024[update], however, the VRPA and Norfolk Southern were in negotiations to instead extend service on the N-Line (ex-Norfolk and Western) with a station at Cambria Yard.