Press Release

What They’re Saying: Senator Bob Casey Delivers Expanded Train Service Across Pennsylvania

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Federal Funding Will Go Toward Expanding Service Between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and Restoring Rail Service Between Scranton and New York 

Senator Casey: “I Fought for This Funding Because When Pennsylvanians Can Move Quickly and Easily Across the State for Work, Study, or Travel Our Commonwealth Thrives.”

PENNSYLVANIA – With funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Senator Casey helped pass into law, he successfully delivered federal funding to Amtrak to pave the way to restoring rail service between Scranton and New York City for the first time in 50 years and expanding service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Sen. Casey helped secure $144 million to expand Amtrak service across Pennsylvania. 

Read What They’re Saying: 

Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Casey, Fetterman announce $144M grant to expand Amtrak’s Philadelphia to Pittsburgh service 

  • U.S. Sens Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) on Wednesday announced a $143.6 million Federal Railroad Administration grant for track and safety improvements that will support expanded Amtrak passenger service between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
  • The money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will be used to improve tracks owned by Norfolk Southern Corp. to accommodate a second daily passenger train between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh on Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian service. 
  • Casey and Fetterman also announced a $500,000 grant from the FRA’s Corridor Identification and Development program to plan expansions of Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian and Keystone services along the Philadelphia to Pittsburgh route in smaller communities such as Altoona, Lancaster and Johnstown. 
  • “I fought for this funding because when Pennsylvanians can move quickly and easily across the state for work, study, or travel our Commonwealth thrives,” Casey said. “Improving rail service means more jobs, more economic opportunities, and more time spent with family for urban and rural communities alike.” 

Trib Live: Western Pa. lands $144M in federal funding for expanded rail service

  • Federal lawmakers said Wednesday that the Federal Railroad Administration is putting $144 million toward a project that will add a daily round trip on Amtrak’s passenger rail line between Pittsburgh and New York City.
  • The funding will be used to upgrade rail infrastructure along the Keystone West Corridor between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg that will allow Amtrak to add a second daily round trip on the Pennsylvanian line, which runs from Pittsburgh to New York via Harrisburg and Philadelphia.
  • The funding came from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, according to lawmakers.

Morning Call: In huge step forward, Poconos to NYC train gets federal funding for first time

  • The proposed Scranton-to-New York City passenger train, which would include stops in the Poconos, took its most significant step toward happening Tuesday, with a federal railroad agency commiting money for its planning for the first time.
  • In a separate statement, Casey said generations of passengers once connected by train to loved ones, schools, jobs, recreational activities and other economic opportunities.
  • “I have fought to restore Scranton rail service for my entire career as a United States senator, including voting to pass the infrastructure law, because bringing passenger rail service back to my hometown and to our region will be a game-changing force for our economy, our families, and our communities,” Casey said.

Pocono Record: Federal Railroad Admin chooses Scranton-NYC Amtrak route to move forward

  • The Federal Railroad Administration is providing $500,000 for the Scranton to New York City Amtrak route to move forward, the most critical step yet in restoring passenger rail through the Poconos.
  • The two cities have not been connected by passenger rail since 1970.
  • “For generations, passenger rail service helped Northeastern Pennsylvanians connect with loved ones, get to school and work, and access economic opportunity and recreation. In turn, residents of other states helped to stimulate our economy and visited our region to see the best of what we have to offer,” Casey said. 
  • In 2022, Cartwright and Casey, both Democrats, and a bipartisan group of state and local leaders in northeastern Pennsylvania formally expressed their interest in the route to the FRA.

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