PHLSpecial wrote: ↑Sat Apr 16, 2022 11:41 am
MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Sat Apr 16, 2022 7:47 am
In closing all of these routes have not been served by passenger trains for 40 years on average.
Will service ever come back on these routes? That is the question...MACTRAXX
I believe 2, 3, 4 are all realistic and possible. 5 would be interesting but I wouldn't think Septa would serve that line.
I think slowly Americans in my generation millennials and younger are a lot more open to rail service and public transportation in general. It can happen.
I could see Septa ordering a battery train down the line to operate these services. But we need PennDot to fund more rail projects and stop expanding highways.
PHL - This is my reply as follows -
2 - Quakertown south to Lansdale is a distinct restoration possibility with support from Upper Bucks County
municipalities (best examples) that would benefit from new service to Lansdale and Philadelphia.
There would be track (10 mph now) and infrastructure work needed on this 16 mile route for passenger service.
North of Shelly (QKT) the route is very different being fully abandoned - and titled the Upper Bucks Rail
Trail and Saucon Rail Trail (north of the Bucks/Lehigh County Line) from Coopersburg towards Bethlehem.
The route goes through some fully residential areas from Coopersburg and Centre Valley into Bethlehem.
Any time a line such as this goes through a residential area NIMBY opposition is a distinct possibility to
resurrect a rail route that has been gone for a length of time - 40 years in this case - back to service.
3 - Wawa to West Chester's problem is going to be how much money will this 10 mile restoration cost?
Will Chester County be willing to fund and be involved further in this commitment?
4 - **Norfolk Southern** and their willing to work with the government entities funding new Norristown-
Pottstown-Reading rail service will be the determining factor for this new service to become a reality.
5 - The Wall Street and Crusader runs to Newark were an interesting partnership that was inherited from
the Reading and CNJ by Conrail (April 1, 1976) that was sponsored by both SEPTA and NJDOT (beginning
in the 1970s) - SEPTA/RDG provided the RDC equipment - NJDOT funded the route between WTR and NWK.
All of what now is NJT Rail and SEPTA RRD was operated by Conrail under contract from April 1, 1976 until
December 31, 1982 for the record before full direct takeover by NJT and SEPTA.
After through Wall Street and Crusader train service ended a single weekday peak hour train ran between
West Trenton and Newark - north AM and south PM - connecting at West Trenton with a local train south
to/from Jenkintown and Reading Terminal. This service option ran for around 18 months - the forced WTR
transfer, slower service and lack of train options (two to one train between WTR and Bound Brook) were
all reasons that this revised service was not successful (Summer 1981 into 1982 was the time frame) then.
Bringing back passenger service between West Trenton and Bound Brook would be an NJT decision.
SEPTA would only be involved if through service south of WTR to Jenkintown and Philadelphia is operated.
There is past discussion about the NJDOT/NJT Bound Brook-West Trenton service in the Railroad.net NJT Forum
archives for the record about this subject.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is good to know that younger people are open to options such as rail as opposed to driving.
Getting PennDot more involved in passenger rail is going to take a major change in their entire mindset.
They are committed to highways over any other form of transport - I do not think that will change...
MACTRAXX
EXPRESS TRAIN TO NEW YORK PENN STATION-NO JAMAICA ON THIS TRAIN-PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING TRAIN DOORS