Reconstruction of Cornwells Heights Station

FRA AWARD: FRA.DOT.GOV

Pennsylvania – Reconstruction of Cornwells Heights Station (Up to $30,500,000)

The proposed project includes final design and construction of new 600-foot high-level platforms and a new accessible pedestrian overpass with elevators at Cornwells Heights Station in Bensalem Township, PA. The project will increase accessibility and safety for SEPTA Trenton Line and Amtrak Keystone Service riders. As matching funds, SEPTA will provide $11,956,000 and Amtrak will provide $244,000. SEPTA will also provide $13,109,000 of other Federal funds to the project.

I see it only mentions SEPTA and the Keystones; it won't be fully used unless there's a New York train at least every hour, and that raises the matter of Regionals crossing over to make the stop (see other threads on this subject). And there's no mention of additional crossovers to provide for that.

Hopefully it is is getting a new office/building as well, that crappy trailer has been threatening to fall over into the swamp every time an amtrak blows through for at least 15 years. Not to mention the constant utility problems.

Hopefully whoever does the overpass/elevator work does a better job than the Paoli one.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the station will "include 600-foot high platforms and a new pedestrian overpass with elevators." At first glance it appears that they're really going to need those elevators, but on closer examination it can be seen that the sentence is correctly punctuated since the absence of a hyphen after "foot" indicates that "600-foot" and "high" each individually modifies "platforms"while the presence of a hyphen would mean that "600-foot-high" modifies "platforms." Still, that sentence needs work. Journalists are supposed to know that stuff.

ExCon90 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2023 9:33 pm I see it only mentions SEPTA and the Keystones; it won't be fully used unless there's a New York train at least every hour, and that raises the matter of Regionals crossing over to make the stop (see other threads on this subject). And there's no mention of additional crossovers to provide for that.

Is there a demand or funds for more Amtrak service at CWH? I haven't spent a ton of time at CWH, but the few Amtrak trains I saw there had no more than 10 people board or exit the train. I once saw a Keystone let off one person and go. It was like a 15 second stop if that.

Regarding the crossover, I hear you 100%. Heading towards NY, Amtrak could switch from 2 to 1 at HOLMES then back over to 2 at GRUNDY. Heading towards Philly, well you're looking at running on 4 from FAIR or MORRIS all the way down to HOLMES. I think this along with PennDOT funding (or lack thereof) are contributing factors to Amtrak not serving CWH more often.