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Northeastern Pennsylvania Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area
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Old 03-05-2015, 08:20 AM
 
Location: Arizona
6,129 posts, read 7,942,877 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarge621 View Post
Little Red Riding Hood
Humpty Dumpty
The Emperor's New Clothes
The Train to NYC from Scranton

What do all of these have in common? Hmmmmm
That's what I said!
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Old 03-03-2016, 05:49 PM
 
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA
2,014 posts, read 3,879,203 times
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Doesn't figure to matter much anyway, if you look into potential travel times with stops you would be on the train all day if you went round trip. The only way it would be worth it would be a high speed Acela with no stops, financially speaking, there is no way the transit authority builds that line without many stops to increase sales. I can drive faster so it's not worth it.
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Old 02-27-2017, 11:40 AM
 
Location: Fairfax County, VA
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I think at this point, it will be your standard Amtrak route. No HSR.
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Old 02-27-2017, 12:23 PM
 
Location: Shawnee-on-Delaware, PA
7,940 posts, read 7,292,514 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joke Insurance View Post
I think at this point, it will be your standard Amtrak route. No HSR.
The betting is closed. Amtrak doesn't even serve Scranton, so forget about a "high speed rail" commuter line or any other kind of rail service.


And the Wikipedia article for the Andover NJ Transit station has been revised to say 2018 is the earliest possible opening of that station.
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Old 02-27-2017, 01:10 PM
 
Location: Fairfax County, VA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jtab4994 View Post
The betting is closed. Amtrak doesn't even serve Scranton, so forget about a "high speed rail" commuter line or any other kind of rail service.
I'm not quite following your post. Are you agreeing or disagreein with my post?
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Old 02-28-2017, 08:07 AM
 
Location: Shawnee-on-Delaware, PA
7,940 posts, read 7,292,514 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joke Insurance View Post
I'm not quite following your post. Are you agreeing or disagreein with my post?
Your post was: "I think at this point, it will be your standard Amtrak route. No HSR."


If HSR = High Speed Rail then I agree with that part.


You also mention Amtrak in connection with the Scranton-to-NYC corridor. I wanted to point out that there is no Amtrak service to Scranton, and there never was. The proposed new service would be run by New Jersey Transit, not Amtrak.


My term "the betting is closed" is an idiomatic expression intended to convey my feeling that it's pointless to talk about the Pocono commuter train any time soon.


I also added a sentence about work on the Andover NJ station being delayed yet again. Completing the Andover Station and extending service out that far would be a key step in getting passenger rail service to cross the Delaware. Please keep in mind that you posted into a thread that is several years old and that others reading the thread and seeing talk about the alleged Andover Station opening in 2016 (last year) might find that information useful.


Hope this helps.
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Old 02-28-2017, 10:50 AM
 
Location: Swiftwater, PA
18,754 posts, read 17,982,974 times
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Putting in my two cents on this subject: Do a Google 'Earth' of the old rail lines through the Poconos. The imagery is not that old - most was taken last year. Try to look for any construction between the Pocono's and Andover. Try to even look for a possible route between the Poconos and Andover.

For decades the dream of commuter rail to NYC was promoted by developers that wanted to sell land in the Poconos. We have no hard facts to back up their claims that it will ever be a reality. Take one good look at the Viaduct four miles to the east from the Delaware River Bridge on Route 80. We do not build anything that approaches that today. We could not afford even to demolish that old bridge (built in 1929); let alone replace it. Large construction projects are simply out of reach compared to decades ago - too expensive and not cost effective.
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Old 02-28-2017, 03:28 PM
 
Location: Fairfax County, VA
3,719 posts, read 5,671,314 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jtab4994 View Post
Your post was: "I think at this point, it will be your standard Amtrak route. No HSR."

If HSR = High Speed Rail then I agree with that part.

You also mention Amtrak in connection with the Scranton-to-NYC corridor. I wanted to point out that there is no Amtrak service to Scranton, and there never was. The proposed new service would be run by New Jersey Transit, not Amtrak.

My term "the betting is closed" is an idiomatic expression intended to convey my feeling that it's pointless to talk about the Pocono commuter train any time soon.

I also added a sentence about work on the Andover NJ station being delayed yet again. Completing the Andover Station and extending service out that far would be a key step in getting passenger rail service to cross the Delaware. Please keep in mind that you posted into a thread that is several years old and that others reading the thread and seeing talk about the alleged Andover Station opening in 2016 (last year) might find that information useful.

Hope this helps.
I apologize for the confusion. What you said makes sense now.

Also, I mention Amtrak because the line alone from Port Morris Junction to Scranton is about 88 miles or so. Add the miles from Pennsylvania Station (New York) and Hoboken Terminal, and you might see why I mentioned Amtrak. The longest commuter rail line I believe is the Inland Empire–Orange County Line of Metrolink, at a distance of 100 miles. Even that, I think, stretches the limitation on what one might call a commute.
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Old 03-01-2017, 11:23 PM
 
9,576 posts, read 7,240,414 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fisheye View Post
Take one good look at the Viaduct four miles to the east from the Delaware River Bridge on Route 80. We do not build anything that approaches that today. We could not afford even to demolish that old bridge (built in 1929); let alone replace it. Large construction projects are simply out of reach compared to decades ago - too expensive and not cost effective.
There's actually two viaducts that would need to be replaced, the Delaware River Viaduct, which is 1,400 feet long and 65 feet high, this is the one that crosses over I-80 near Columbia, NJ and the Paulinskill Viaduct, which is further east from the Delaware River one. That is 1,100 feet long and 115 feet high and I think both actually opened in 1911, not that 1911 and 1929 makes that much of a difference!

Having been born and raised in NEPA, I remember when they said the commuter line would be open in 2000, then it was 2010, then 2020, now it's 2030! It's a great idea and dream, but like others have mentioned, it would have to be faster than the current drive and with all of the planned stops and the difficult terrain going through the gap and up onto the Pocono Plateau, I just don't see it as a viable alternative, unless the interstate commute turns into 4 or 5 hours from Scranton, which I don't see happening, at least not for a very long time, if ever, and by then we'll all have self driving cars!
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Old 03-02-2017, 03:31 AM
 
Location: Swiftwater, PA
18,754 posts, read 17,982,974 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjseliga View Post
There's actually two viaducts that would need to be replaced, the Delaware River Viaduct, which is 1,400 feet long and 65 feet high, this is the one that crosses over I-80 near Columbia, NJ and the Paulinskill Viaduct, which is further east from the Delaware River one. That is 1,100 feet long and 115 feet high and I think both actually opened in 1911, not that 1911 and 1929 makes that much of a difference!

Having been born and raised in NEPA, I remember when they said the commuter line would be open in 2000, then it was 2010, then 2020, now it's 2030! It's a great idea and dream, but like others have mentioned, it would have to be faster than the current drive and with all of the planned stops and the difficult terrain going through the gap and up onto the Pocono Plateau, I just don't see it as a viable alternative, unless the interstate commute turns into 4 or 5 hours from Scranton, which I don't see happening, at least not for a very long time, if ever, and by then we'll all have self driving cars!
What we need is another leader like Eisenhower. Because it is not just rail or high speed rail; it is the whole transportation system between East and West.

Look at that Delaware River Viaduct. It will have to either be demolished or replaced at some time in the future. I would hate to guess how long it would shut down Interstate 80 while that construction or demolition work is in progress? That bridge is one of the major impediments to improved transportation for our whole region; it restricts the widening of I-80. Right now the shoulders of I-80, passing under the Viaduct, are too low for commercial trucking. I-80 should be six or more lanes all the way from four miles into New Jersey to at least I-380 and possibly all the way to Route 115 (looking out for tomorrows needs).

Actually, thinking outside the box; the only salvation for this important Northeastern corridor might be the new tunnel boring equipment. If we could get planners and engineers to look at straighter lines between the points and through mountains; then we might stand a chance. But we still have to fight Park Service land, environmental issues and emanate domain - nothing is easy.

PS I just wanted to also say that I watched Ohio build the brand new (in the 1990's) I-80 bridge over the Lake Meander Reservoir. It was half a mile long, three lanes wide and had twenty one piers. They completed that bridge in just about one years' time. Here, in PA, we took the same length of time to rebuild a narrow two lane bridge around two hundred feet long. Proficiency and planning are the keys to major highway projects in high traffic areas.

Last edited by fisheye; 03-02-2017 at 03:41 AM..
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