Legislation would transfer Amtrak line to Pennsylvania

Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would require Amtrak to transfer ownership of the Keystone East Line to Pennsylvania.

Under the Keystone Line for the Commonwealth Act, the line and certain stations would be transferred so they can be managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The Keystone East Line runs wholly within Pennsylvania between Harrisburg and Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. There are 12 stations.

The state subsidizes it by $100 million annually. Under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, certain routes, like the Keystone East Line, were required to be funded directly by states.

The Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority also operates its Paoli-Thorndale Commuter Rail service along the Keystone line.

“As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have consistently been disappointed by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation’s (Amtrak) responsiveness and management of our local rail line,” U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), who introduced the bill, said. “I firmly believe that the closer a government entity is to those it serves, the more accountable it must be. That is certainly the case with Amtrak’s operation of the Keystone East Line. Renovation and repair projects are consistently delayed and over budget and revenue generated on the line is sent out of the commonwealth to other states along the Northeast Corridor.”