Message to State Rail Planners
Erie and northwestern Pennsylvania want and need expanded and improved passenger rail service. That’s the message to PennDOT
as it seeks public comment on its latest State Rail Plan.
“We’re very happy to see the State adding a second train frequency along the Philadelphia to Pittsburgh rail corridor and showing interest in restoring passenger rail service to Scranton,” says All Aboard Erie (AAE) chair and Lakeshore Rail Alliance board member Brian Pitzer. “However, we also urge PennDOT to consider the need for increased service along another major corridor that connects Erie, northwestern Pennsylvania and the Lake Erie region to New York and Chicago. It needs to be included in the State Rail Plan. We would also like to see service between Erie and Pittsburgh.”
Pitzer points out that people have few options other than to drive along what is historically one of the nation’s busiest travel corridors. “And we should also point out,” says Pitzer, “that a significant part of I-90 was recently shut down due to extreme amounts of lake effect snow – in some places over 55 inches. During that same period, Amtrak trains kept running. But Erie and many other stops along the route between New York and Chicago are served by only one train a day – Amtrak’s well-booked Lake Shore Limited. We need and deserve more and better service.”
“Erie is often overlooked when state rail plans are made, but we are a critical link between the Midwest and the East Coast.” Pitzer says AAE urges the following:
- Work with New York and Ohio to begin planning for increased passenger rail service along the Buffalo-Erie-Cleveland Corridor.
- Piggyback with Ohio’s existing Detroit-Toledo-Cleveland Corridor ID study to determine if a New York-Detroit train is a viable possibility.
- Commit state funds for an initial round of infrastructure improvements including the historic Erie train station, grade crossing improvements and grade separations to increase safety.
- Begin the planning process for the Erie-Pittsburgh Corridor.
All Aboard Erie also urges the residents of Erie and northwestern Pennsylvania to make their voices heard by participating in the public input process for the State Rail Plan. They can do so by attending PennDOT’s virtual public meeting on December 10, 2024 at 4:00 PM or completing PennDOT’s survey. The deadline for completing the survey is December 19. Links to both are embedded in PennDOT’s announcement here: https://penntwplanco.org/public-invited-to-join-penndot-virtual-public-meeting-on-december-10-to-discuss-state-rail-plan-updates/
