This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
6/28/2022
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Norfolk Southern Railway have reached an operating agreement to expand passenger-rail access in western Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf announced yesterday.
Currently, the Pennsylvanian Amtrak travels roundtrip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg once daily. Under the new agreement between PennDOT and NS, passenger service will increase to twice a day.
The agreement follows a February announcement that the parties would jointly examine opportunities to eliminate chokepoints and improve Pennsylvania's rail system.
"Rail is critical in Pennsylvania and I'm pleased that we're moving quickly to deliver these long-needed improvements," Wolf said in a press release.
To support the expanded passenger operations, Pennsylvania will invest more than $200 million in infrastructure and safety improvements that NS will construct and maintain. The future improvements and construction will stem from a previously released NS operational feasibility study and include upgraded rail lines, passenger platforms, sidings and communications and signals infrastructure.
PennDOT will redirect state Multimodal Transportation Fund dollars to help fund the project. Additionally, PennDOT anticipates applying for additional funds under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support station and platform improvements along the route.
Over the past four months, PennDOT and NS have developed the operating agreement framework and finalized the improvements necessary to increase passenger-rail service on the NS-owned corridor between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. The parties anticipate a final definitive agreement to be developed by year’s end.
Construction can begin after the definitive agreement is executed, with the new service anticipated to start within three years of the pact's execution, PennDOT officials said.