On December 5th 2023, U.S. Senator Bob Casey and U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (both representing Pennsylvania) announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is working to reestablish a direct Amtrak rail service between Scranton, PA and New York City.
Rail service previously ran on the Lackawanna Cut-Off directly between Scranton and New York, but was discontinued in 1970 due to inconsistent use and upkeep, according to a press release from Senator Casey.
The train would make three daily round trips, each lasting about three hours and 25 minutes, on upgraded existing tracks, 20 miles of restored tracks, and and existing tracks.
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey called the expansion plan a “game-changing force for our economy, our families, and our communities,” with Congressman Matt Cartwright adding it’s a “significant milestone and represents years of dedicated efforts to restore passenger rail service, which will contribute to our region’s economic growth and vitality.”
According to a release from Amtrak in March of this year, the project will cost between $100 and $175 million to improve the track itself, along with anywhere from $70 to $90 million to cover the trains.
Additional design work, from building stations to creating an equipment service facility, will also play into the total cost of the project.
The next steps in the process include:
- Complete preliminary engineering activities
- Completing final design
- Securing funding
- Completing subsequent construction projects and acquiring trains
Between Scranton and NYC, the train would have additional stops at Stroudsburg and Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, as well as Blairstown, Dover, Montclair, Morristown, and Newark, New Jersey. The train would benefit an estimated 470,000 riders per year.
Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner stated:
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.
Train service is not expected to begin until at least 2028. You can learn more here.