More passenger rail service coming between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg

Pittsburgh and other Western Pennsylvania municipalities are set to receive additional passenger rail service to Harrisburg, with plans to add another line within three years of the start of construction.

The state of Pennsylvania and Norfolk Southern first proposed adding a passenger line in February. The private railway owns the rail line between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, called the Keystone West line, and said earlier this year that completing projects to free up choke points would allow for additional passenger rail service.

PennDOT and Norfolk Southern reached an agreement Monday. Gov. Tom Wolf said the state is providing $200 million in funding for the project, which will be carried out by Norfolk Southern.

Wolf said the state funding is thanks to the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law that was passed in 2021. The infrastructure law allocated $66 billion to Amtrak, which the Amtrak CEO said last November would go toward rail projects, fleet acquisition, state grants and improvements across the Amtrak system.

Amtrak runs trains from Pittsburgh to New York City, through Harrisburg and Philadelphia, on the Pennsylvanian route daily. The Pennsylvanian also has stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona and others, and those cities likely will receive additional service.

“Rail is critical in Pennsylvania, and I’m pleased that we’re moving quickly to deliver these long-needed improvements,” Wolf said in a news release. “This is another example of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and our strong state-funding position ensuring we can bring more mobility and economic benefits to these communities.”

Currently, an eastbound Pennsylvanian train departs Pittsburgh once daily at 7:30 a.m., and a westbound Pennsylvanian train arrives in Pittsburgh at 8 p.m. daily. These trains continue on from Harrisburg to Philadelphia and eventually New York City.

The additional service would have eastbound trains depart Pittsburgh at 7 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and westbound service would depart Harrisburg at 9:41 a.m. and 4:40 p.m., officials said.

A Norfolk Southern operational feasibility study will guide the future improvements and construction. These improvements will be spaced out across several projects throughout the corridor, including upgraded rail lines, passenger platforms, sidings and necessary communications signals infrastructure.

Both the government and the private railway anticipate a final definitive agreement to be developed by the end of 2022, with additional rail service between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg anticipated to start within three years of the definitive agreement’s execution.

Norfolk Southern Chief Strategy Officer Mike McClellan said the agreement is a good example of government and business working together.

“Together, we are able to expand passenger rail access while preserving a critical artery of our nation’s supply chain,” McClellan said. “This truly is a model for future public-private rail agreements.”

One part of the Norfolk Southern study highlights upgrades to the Pittsburgh train station, which includes power turnouts and modifications to provide clearances for double-stacked trains.

Pittsburgh’s additional Amtrak service between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg would be the first step in fulfilling part of Amtrak’s goals for Pennsylvania. Amtrak’s 2035 Vision Plan recommends 15 new round trips for train service in the Keystone State, including an additional train connecting Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.