Proposed Amtrak to PHL

SemperFidelis wrote:Don't hold your breath on this happening, of course, but it is an interesting find.

I wonder if SEPTA would operate a new service on the portion of the line between the junction for the branch t the airport and the junction that reconnects with the Corridor. It is short, probably only good for maybe a station or two...perhaps not worth it.

Anyway, we have decades and decades to figure it out.

If built SEPTA Airport service would cease to exist, it would be replaced by SEPTA service to Wilmington or marcus hook with a stop at the airport. the biggest beneficiary would be Delaware which would get faster and service and a stop at the airport. It is likely there would be a people mover that replaces direct to terminal service (this is going to happen regardless of whether the alignment is built AFAIK)

ExCon90 wrote:

NorthPennLimited wrote:This may be a stupid question.....but.

What prevents Amttak (today) from having the Harrisburg - New York trains change ends at the Philly Airport instead of at 30th Street?

Does SEPTA need both tracks at the Airport for its 30 minute Regional Rail service? Or can SEPTA spare one of its tracks for Amtrak?

Going all the way to PHL to reverse direction would add somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes to the running time, which would be totally unacceptable to people going from Keystone points to New York. It would even be an improvement to have additional trains eliminate 30th St. altogether and run to New York
via the Pittsburgh Subway, but Pennsylvania probably wouldn't want to pay for that, and it's hard to see who else would. (At present all SEPTA Airport trains use the track closest to the terminal because of the direct access from Baggage Claim without having to go up, over, and down, which is necessary to reach the island platform.)

how would that be an improvement? 30th St is the single biggest trip generator for the Keystone service and those seats turn over for the lucrative PHL-NYP market. Amtrak would probably be more against skipping 30th than PennDOT.

Regarding airport service, Amtrak to the airport would make sense if the Keystone service were dramatically expanded. I'd also suggest that Amtrak service to reading/Pottstown could operate to the airport. I do think that the expense of making it possible would be worthwhile because it eliminates a transfer and many of these places lack decent air service. MDT will never compete with PHL and Reading doesn't even have an MDT.