{"id":2217208,"date":"2024-04-10T08:16:02","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T12:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pittsburgh-new-york-train-expected-to-cost-8m-annually-to-operate\/"},"modified":"2024-04-10T08:20:25","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T12:20:25","slug":"pittsburgh-new-york-train-expected-to-cost-8m-annually-to-operate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pittsburgh-new-york-train-expected-to-cost-8m-annually-to-operate\/","title":{"rendered":"Operating the Pittsburgh-New York train route is anticipated to require an annual budget of $8 million"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpittsburgh-new-york-train-expected-to-cost-8m-annually-to-operate%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2217208&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Pennsylvania travelers and train \u200benthusiasts were delighted when Amtrak introduced twice-daily\u2063 service from Pittsburgh to New York via Harrisburg. However, expanding this\u2064 service requires significant investment in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">infrastructure upgrades<\/a> and\u2062 additional yearly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/stealth-fighters-performance-not-living-up-to-the-price-tag\/\" title=\"Stealth Fighter\u2019s Performance Not Living Up to the Price Tag\">operating costs<\/a>. The service expansion, a result of Amtrak and Norfolk Southern&#8217;s collaboration, \u2064will necessitate $218\u2063 million for capital improvements along the Norfolk Southern-owned corridor,\u2062 with annual operating costs estimated at around $8 million. Federal funding of $144 million from the\u200b Federal Railroad Administration will help cover some capital upgrade expenses.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">(The Center Square) \u2014 Pennsylvania\u2019s travelers and train enthusiasts celebrated last fall when Amtrak announced twice-a-day service from Pittsburgh to New York via Harrisburg.Expanding service, though, will require a hefty investment to upgrade infrastructure and millions more in operating costs every year.<\/p>\n<p><span>The <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/pennsylvania\/article_50aabffe-597a-11ee-b154-2390f19d615f.html\">service expansion<\/a><\/strong><span>, announced in September after Amtrak and Norfolk Southern worked out an agreement, will require $218 million for capital improvement along the Norfolk Southern-owned corridor, according to PennDOT officials. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>After initial upgrades, PennDOT expects the additional roundtrip train journey to cost about $8 million annually, which factors in ridership revenue that offsets some costs.<\/p>\n<p>PennDOT Press Secretary Alexis Campbell called the $8 million \u201ca very preliminary estimate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In December, it was announced that Pennsylvania taxpayers won\u2019t bear all the cost for capital upgrades \u2014 <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.casey.senate.gov\/news\/releases\/casey-fetterman-announce-144-million-to-expand-amtrak-service-between-pittsburgh-harrisburg-and-philadelphia\">federal taxpayers<\/a><\/strong> will pitch in as well. The Federal Railroad Administration awarded PennDOT $144 million to cover some costs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe future improvements and construction will stem from a previously released Norfolk Southern operational feasibility study requested by PennDOT and includes upgraded rail lines, sidings, and necessary communications signals infrastructure,\u201d a PennDOT <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.penndot.pa.gov\/pages\/all-news-details.aspx?newsid=1076\">press release<\/a><\/strong> noted in September. \u201cThe renegotiated agreement with Norfolk Southern for the infrastructure work needed to support the additional Pennsylvanian ensures that safety and the best interests of the Commonwealth are fully addressed.\u201d   <\/p>\n<p>Norfolk Southern will then be responsible for maintaining the corridor. <\/p>\n<p>The Keystone and Pennsylvanian lines, which run between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, registered 1.2 million trips in fiscal year 2022-23. More expansion plans for train travel across the commonwealth are in the works, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur federally mandated support of Amtrak service continues, and we are doing all we can to advance station projects,\u201d PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said during March budget hearings with the General Assembly. \u201cWe are also grateful for new federal investments that will allow for the expansion of passenger rail in Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another $500,000 federal grant, with PennDOT matching 20% of the project cost, will identify more intercity projects to develop. Currently, PennDOT is looking at a Scranton-New York train, a Pittsburgh-Philadelphia train, and a Reading-Philadelphia-New York train, with each corridor receiving up to $500,000 for planning and development purposes, Carroll noted in his budget testimony.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEnhancing passenger rail and restoring these connections will deliver new mobility options for Pennsylvanians, connecting hundreds of thousands of residents and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/clean-energy-power-line-from-arizona-to-california-approved\/\" title=\"\u201cClean Energy\u201d Power Line From Arizona to California Approved\">boosting local economies<\/a>,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Broader economic trends, however, could mean those projects cost more than they would\u2019ve a few years ago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIncreased inflation, which has affected every corner of our economy, has not spared PennDOT, and we\u2019ve seen bids come in over 20% higher than anticipated in some cases,\u201d Carroll noted, speaking generally about the transportation department\u2019s projects.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pennsylvania rejoiced as Amtrak unveiled double-daily trips between Pittsburgh and New York via Harrisburg. However, expanding this service necessitates substantial investments in infrastructure upgrades and millions in yearly operating expenses. This expansion, following collaboration between Amtrak and Norfolk Southern, aims to enhance rail connectivity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3049,"featured_media":2217209,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP23110627948109-1024x576.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2217208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AP23110627948109-1024x576.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2217208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3049"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2217208"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2217208\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2217209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2217208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2217208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2217208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}