A couple recent AVR articles (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: house, transfer, buy)

[BrianTH]

I know this idea has had a lot of false starts, but the fact they already have a large chunk of private financing and aren't looking for financing from PAT makes me think this is a serious possibility:

Allegheny Valley Railroad commuter train project steams ahead - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Allegheny commuter rail line still distant possibility

Previous plans had looked at using the NS tracks into Penn Station, or an easement through the lower Strip, but both ran into serious opposition (from NS and Buncher respectively). This plan would involve shifting over to the Busway ROW at 26th Street, then using the tracks under USX to get to Steel Plaza. It could be the same trains all the way in (special diesel trains designed for commuters, currently in operation in Europe), or they could swap to the T's technology at the 26th Street station, where they would also provide for transfers to buses.

The passenger trains would run 6am to 10pm, then freight trains would run at night. This approach could provide much-needed relief to Route 28.

Current impediments are that the state would have to authorize public-private partnerships (although that might happen this fall in the upcoming transportation bill), and the project would need financing from the feds and maybe the state.

[ebyrnes]

Thanks for this info, Brian. I'm moving from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh (hopefully in the fall), and there's a house in New Ken that I just adore...but I really really want to be near good transit, and the PAT busses aren't so great. I'd buy that house in a second if I really thought that there was a good chance that this line would be running in three years. The PHL Regional Rail system is quite decent, even though we love to gripe about it, and I'm going to miss it.

Dreaming of Deluca's french toast,

e