All things Harrisburg (Keystone) Line

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:54 pm H.R.609 — 117th Congress
The bill requires Amtrak to convey specific properties to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
including the Keystone Line and all stations between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, excluding
30th Street.

Does SEPTA lease the stations on the "Main Line" used as ticket offices?

Any updates on installing the new signal system on the line?

Any news on when train frequency will be increased?

I have the same question about frequency. Trying to schedule a trip for August.

Any news on when train frequency will be increased?

No idea on that, but my Keystone from Philadelphia to Lancaster was about 50% full for the trip on Saturday afternoon, and the return on the Pennsylvanian was completely sold out. It definitely seems like it's time!

FatNoah wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 2:35 pm

Any news on when train frequency will be increased?

No idea on that, but my Keystone from Philadelphia to Lancaster was about 50% full for the trip on Saturday afternoon, and the return on the Pennsylvanian was completely sold out. It definitely seems like it's time!

There'll probably be some negotiations between SEPTA, NJ Transit, and Amtrak on the schedule... but then Amtrak's not running a full NEC schedule as far as I can tell.

Between PHL-HAR will be up to PennDot and then PHL-NYP, it will be up to Amtrak. Yes, Penn Dot and Amtrak will have to coordinate the trains around NJT and Septa’s.

It should be relatively simple for the PHL to HAR schedule to add trains as Amtrak was running more trains under the existing SEPTA schedule before the beginning of the year.

I have been bugging people for an answer and September/October is the time I am hearing regarding restoration of usual schedule from a number of sources. This lines up with construction season wrapping up and more people returning to office.

I don’t really understand the PennDOT Amtrak services. Seems they’re excluded from every sale and the prices NYP-HAR are a whopping $50 while it’s $29 to go NYP-WAS.

I really hope they increase service before September or October because otherwise I feel like they’d miss out on a good chunk of riders because the current schedule isn’t very good.

daybeers wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 10:07 am I don’t really understand the PennDOT Amtrak services. Seems they’re excluded from every sale and the prices NYP-HAR are a whopping $50 while it’s $29 to go NYP-WAS.

I really hope they increase service before September or October because otherwise I feel like they’d miss out on a good chunk of riders because the current schedule isn’t very good.

PennDOT views it as a commuter train. Until many employers start mandating return to the office I don’t think the service levels will increase.

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 6:58 pm PennDOT views it as a commuter train. Until many employers start mandating return to the office I don’t think the service levels will increase.

Yeah... but to where?

I always consider 2 hours to be the maximum for a commuter train. There may be longer with Metra Chicago or others further west...

...but the only way I can think of doing a 3h30m commute is if you're taking the MARC train from Fredrick and you're going to Baltimore, switching at DC to a Penn Line train. And that's the closest I've seen, time and distance wise!

(The only difference here is that it would be quicker to cover Fredrick to Baltimore by car via I-70. Harrisburg to NYC via I-78 is marginally better VS an express Keystone.)

We need to see the ticket sales on the Keystone to say "this is a commuter train" because I can't see any rational person commuting from Harrisburg to NYC on a daily basis. That's more than half your day gone!

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Fri May 28, 2021 6:52 am

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 6:58 pm PennDOT views it as a commuter train. Until many employers start mandating return to the office I don’t think the service levels will increase.

Yeah... but to where?

I always consider 2 hours to be the maximum for a commuter train. There may be longer with Metra Chicago or others further west...

...but the only way I can think of doing a 3h30m commute is if you're taking the MARC train from Fredrick and you're going to Baltimore, switching at DC to a Penn Line train. And that's the closest I've seen, time and distance wise!

(The only difference here is that it would be quicker to cover Fredrick to Baltimore by car via I-70. Harrisburg to NYC via I-78 is marginally better VS an express Keystone.)

We need to see the ticket sales on the Keystone to say "this is a commuter train" because I can't see any rational person commuting from Harrisburg to NYC on a daily basis. That's more than half your day gone!

It serves several different types of commuters:
1. Commuters from Chester County and west going to Philadelphia.
2. Commuters going from Philadelphia suburbs to Harrisburg.
3. Commuters from Philly suburbs to New Jersey and New York. Many of these people only had to go into North Jersey or New York once or twice a week, which makes coming from Paoli Exton or Ardmore tolerable.

There are day trippers to New York from Pennsylvania and people going Philadelphia for flights as well, but the most crowded trains I ever rode on the line were during rush hour periods.

When I start going back once or twice a week I plan on getting the Amtrak multi-ride ticket, which is a little higher than SEPTA, but since SEPTA isn’t running express trains right now, I will accept the price difference since I am only going twice a week max.

If it’s a commuter train then why is it $50 HAR-NYP?

daybeers wrote: ↑Sat May 29, 2021 7:57 am If it’s a commuter train then why is it $50 HAR-NYP?

The HAR to PHL pricing is comparable to the Port Jervis Line with a connection to NYP for a ten ride ticket or monthly pass. Both lines are similar distance.