Obama supports high speed rail to Philly from Pittsburgh (Philadelphia: 2009, houses)

[bradjl2009]

President supports Pittsburgh-Harrisburg-Philly rail line

President supports Pittsburgh-Harrisburg-Philly rail line
Thursday, April 16, 2009
By Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

President Barack Obama today announced an ambitious plan to develop a network of high-speed passenger trains connecting American cities, comparing the program to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower's push to develop the interstate highway system.

Ten corridors, including one from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg and Philadelphia, were designated as eligible for some of the $13 billion in federal spending authorized in the economic stimulus legislation or proposed by Mr. Obama for high-speed rail development.

[Geeo]

This can't happen soon enough! The line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg is already upgraded, so they have to finish it the rest of the way west to Pittsburgh. It would be so much easier to take the train to Philly in five hours than the five hours it takes to leave the house, get to the airport, wait in security line, wait in waiting area, wait to take off, spend forty minutes in the air, circle over Philadelphia while they wait for a gate to open, wait to get off the plane, wait for baggage, and wait for a taxi or train to get into Center City.

[Blackbeauty212]

A Speedline between Pitt - Harris - Philly will be the gateway of linking the East Coast to the West....I would come back to the burgh more often if there was decent rail service from either NYC or Philly...

The US needs more Rail...Get people out of the Air and off the roads where congestion is reaching a tipping point.

And making downtown Pittsburgh a transfer hub for East and West Trains would definantly be the link Pittsburgh needs to get people here, it would make the city look even more enticing for businesses by having quick reliable service to the East Coast Cities, Ohio Cities - Chicago and St Louis.

[Little Mizz Pittsburgh]

Interesting

[RockLobster]

By far the best news I have heard from DC in a long time! These are real types of jobs that will stick around for awhile as this would be built and maintained. Interesting how Pittsburgh's corridor is east to the coastal metro. And the Ohio corridor runs from Cleveland southeast to CMH and Cinci. Would be interesting to link Pittsburgh northwest to Cleveland with Youngstown mid way..almost linking the two markets of Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Claps for Obama on this one...


http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/203 ** Federal Rail Admin Plan

[Hopes]

I'm excited about this; however, but I wish they would also connect Pittsburgh to the midwest corridor via Cleveland.

[pman]

Just a quick glance at a rail map and you'll see Pittsburgh is in a great location if passenger rail gets revived. It is a great gateway to Cleveland, Detroit, Toledo, Chicago, Columbus, Cincy, etc. the Harrisburg line is in decent shape but still needs some work to be a real high speed line (esp between Lancaster and Harrisburg and between PArkesburg and Exton...there's an interlocking in Bryn Mawr that needs to be upgraded and the track into Philly). Nonetheless, I don't want to burst any bubbles here but this is why you need to elect the nexct governor from Pittsburgh

According to a 2005 Norfolk Southern study, integrating passenger traffic into the system would require “significant infrastructure improvements,” says PennDOT’s description of the corridor.
That means the Harrisburg-Pittsburgh link will not receive stimulus funds, said PennDOT spokesman Rich Kirkpatrick, because it’s not shovel-ready...But what the President’s announcement means for this stretch is the White Houses’ commitment to this and other less-developed high rail possibilities in the future, he said

High-speed rail to get billions in stimulus dollars - Pittsburgh Business Times:
I tend to doubt that nothing west of harrisburg is shovel ready. Still, real HSR is going to require a tunnel at some point but I think ther costs coudl be defrayed by allowing freight through. I'm sure NS would love to shorten their route by 30 miles and eliminate some of the fuel hungry grades in the alleghenies. That's a big national project since it's on the chicago-ny port route for NS. PA should be pushing for something like that, we might even be able to steal some traffic from VA.

[Kate88]

I heard a rumor that there was talk of a high speed train from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia via State College, but these plans look like they're just revisions on current Amtrak routes, which do not go through State College. Has anyone else heard anything about that?

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Kate88

I heard a rumor that there was talk of a high speed train from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia via State College, but these plans look like they're just revisions on current Amtrak routes, which do not go through State College. Has anyone else heard anything about that?

It goes to Philadelphia via Harrisburg, not State College.

[slamont61]

Oh sure, this will surely stimulate the economy. Any one remember Sky Bus?