@Will posted:To return to the topic, looking at the map Amtrak released, from where I am sitting in NE PA, the lines from Scranton and the Lehigh Valley to NYC look like a no brainer (to me) for a relatively small investment. There have been plans, proposals and studies for bringing rail service back to the area almost from the day they ripped up the tracks on the Lackawanna cut off in about 1985. And yet nothing gets done. Right now it is a bus or a drive to Dover or taking in your car. The bus is basically an monopoly and expensive and its far cheaper for one person to drive to Dover and take the train than drive in. The problem is it takes forever.
Since this crosses three states, maybe this is the perfect route for Amtrak (ie. the fed gov) to get involved in. Personally I am obviously rooting for this.
Will,
NJT has laid track down in sections for Phase I. This being said, they are missing track in several sections: The Port Morris Wye, Route 602 Crossing and curve, 2nd curve west of Port Morris, & Roseville Tunnel to Andover Station. They awarded the contract to restore the Roseville Tunnel a few months ago (work will start Oct. 2021).
Re: you statement about Dover station. There are several stations before Dover: Mt. Arlington, Lake Hopatcong, Netcong, Mt. Olive & Hackettstown. However, if you want hourly trains then Dover is the place to be.
Looking at the new 2021 Amtrak map, they are proposing new services to Scranton. Perhaps the feds will get involved. I personally am a fan of a 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 split of costs between NJ, PA, and the Feds. I know for a fact that the State of New Jersey is looking to kick the bill for Phase II elsewhere (Andover to Slateford Junction section) since the Viaducts are both in this phase. The good news is that costs are much lower than initially predicted (Lackawanna Cut-off Commuter Rail Study).
@bigkid posted:Yeah, they have been talking about this for years, with people moving to PA and commuting. Some of the delay that I understand was that the projected cost of commuting would be so high it would be cheaper to drive. Some of it is the cost, of for example getting the Paulinskill Viaduct back into action. A lot of it quite honestly was silliness, all these claims that they would use the lackawanna cutoff for 'garbage trains' or toxic waste trains going to dump sites in Pennsylvania. It is silly because the grades on the cutoff are such that freight trains would likely not use it.
The biggest factor was who would pay for it, if PA and NJ would pay for it, the feds. The other question now will be will it be needed, will people be working from home and not going in, and right now that is a big if.
I don't know if you have seen the latest cost estimate for the cutoff but it has drastically gone down (Please see above link for Study)
The 2006 study estimated ~$551M to replace the 21 miles of missing track from Port Morris to East Stroudsburg and upgrade the two viaducts. The newer study estimates it will cost ~$289M since the status of the viaducts are in much better condition than they originally predicted. The issue then becomes, who will pay for this? NJ, PA, or the Feds?
Bryce
