The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will again review the possibility of adding passenger rail service between Altoona and Pittsburgh.
PennDOT will review several past studies on the Keystone West Corridor. It also will gather information on historic ridership data, current and projected rail freight activity on the line, track and platform alignments and the condition of the right of way.
The department will estimate how much needed improvements will cost.
Norfolk Southern Railroad owns the corridor between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. Amtrak operates hourly service east of Harrisburg and the cross-state Pennsylvanian, a daily train in each direction between New York, Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.
PennDOT will contact both rail lines as part of its research.
“I know the appetite for such service remains strong in western Pennsylvania, and I have asked PennDOT to check once again about whether such a step is possible,” Gov. Tom Wolf said.
“This study will help answer some important unresolved questions about a way forward with this added service for western Pennsylvania,” Wolf added.
PennDOT also will provide ridership estimates, a travel demand marketing assessment and three potential service plans.