PA To NYC: Proposed Amtrak Train Line Would Pass Through NJ

NEW JERSEY — It may soon be possible to take a train from northeast Pennsylvania through New Jersey on your way to New York City if a plan to revive rail service across the three states keeps chugging along on schedule.

A joint project being spearheaded by several state agencies and Amtrak would restore commuter service between Scranton, New Jersey and New York City – something that rail advocates have been trying to do since the 1970s.

The hope is to have things up and running “as early as 2028.”

According to a joint statement from Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority (PNRRA), the new line would upgrade existing tracks in Pennsylvania between Scranton and the Delaware Water Gap. It would also use 20 miles of restored tracks on the “Lackawanna Cutoff” between the Delaware Water Gap and Andover in New Jersey, as well as existing tracks owned and operated by NJ Transit and Amtrak between Andover and New York City.

Stops would be located at stations in Scranton, Mt. Pocono, East Stroudsburg, Blairstown, Dover, Morristown, Montclair, Newark and New York City.

The new line would make three roundtrips per day between Scranton and New York City at maximum speeds ranging from 80 to 110 mph, covering the distance in an estimated two hours and 50 minutes. It would service an estimated 470,000 riders per year.

Supporters say the expansion would generate $84 million in annual economic activity, in addition to $2.9 billion in economic impact from construction along the corridor.

Amtrak and the PNRRA recently released the results of a two-year study into the proposal, which can be seen online here.

According to the report, track improvements on the PNRRA-owned segment are expected to cost between $100 million and $175 million, and the acquisition of trains will cost between $70 million and $90 million. These two items represent about 30 to 45 percent of the total project cost.

Officials are hoping to recoup up to 80 percent of the construction cost from the federal government. Other project partners include NJ Transit and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey departments of transportation.

Supporters have said the long-running proposal has been missing a crucial ingredient: financial backing from the federal government. But last week, the PNRRA announced that the project has been selected for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor ID Program, which comes with a $500,000 grant to develop a scope, schedule and cost estimate – advancing it one more step towards the finish line.

The news got a round of applause from U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, a supporter of the proposed expansion.

“I have heard for years from residents – particularly those in Western Morris and Sussex counties – about the need to reopen this storied rail line that will expand transit options, reduce traffic and commute times, and lower costs for families,” Sherrill said.

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said that passenger rail service in and out of Scranton was discontinued in 1970, only one year before Amtrak was created.

“Restoring and expanding this corridor with daily multi-frequency service would dramatically boost mobility and economic development for residents of Scranton and Northeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and the broader Northeast region,” Gardner said.

There are currently six Amtrak stations in New Jersey, located in Newark, New Brunswick, Trenton, Princeton Junction and Iselin.

Amtrak recently beefed up its service in New Brunswick and Princeton Junction due to “increased demand” in a “growing market.”

GATEWAY TUNNEL

Another large railroad project that impacts the region recently took a big step forward: the Gateway Tunnel. When it’s completed, the new tunnel will connect North Jersey with New York City and service Amtrak and NJ Transit trains.

The new tunnel is especially crucial to the region, as the existing North River Tunnel serving Penn Station is more than 110-years-old and was severely damaged during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. While the tunnel has been repaired frequently, its age and damaged condition present reliability concerns for more than 200,000 people who travel through the tunnel on more than 400 trains every weekday.

• See Related: Work On Long-Awaited Gateway Tunnel Finally Begins In New Jersey

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