Pennsylvanian (train)

The Pennsylvanian is a Template:Convert daily daytime Amtrak train running between New York City and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel across the Appalachian Mountains, through Pennsylvania's capital Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and New Jersey en route to New York. The entire train ride takes about 9 hours total: 1.5 hours between New York and Philadelphia, 2 hours between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, and 5.5 hours between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.

The Pennsylvanian uses the same Amtrak-owned Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line as the Keystone Service trains, but continues further west via the Pittsburgh Line through Altoona and the Allegheny Mountains, eventually terminating its run in Pittsburgh. The Main Line and Pittsburgh Line collectively make up the Keystone Corridor, a federally-designated corridor for high-speed rail service.

History

20th century

File:AMT 275 Latrobe, PA 4-28-1980.jpg

The first eastbound run of the Pennsylvanian in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, April 28, 1980

File:Amtrak Pennsylvanian TR43.jpg

The Pennsylvanian passing Rosemont, Pennsylvania

Prior to Amtrak's founding, the Pennsylvanian route was covered by the Duquesne, named after Fort Duquesne in Pittsburgh, and by the Juniata. Both trains operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and from 1968 to 1971 by the PRR's successor, the Penn Central.<ref>Pennsylvania timetable, August 1950, Table 39</ref> The Duquesne had a long history, finally becoming a daily New York–Pittsburgh train on October 25, 1959, numbered 16 eastbound and 25 westbound. When the Pennsylvania Railroad's successor, Penn Central, was formed in 1968, it continued to operate the Duquesne and the Juniata.<ref>Penn Central East-West timetable, October 1968</ref>

With the start of Amtrak operations on May 1, 1971, the Duquesne was renamed the Keystone and renumbered 42 westbound and 43 eastbound with the first Amtrak timetable on November 14, 1971. The Keystone was discontinued on April 30, 1972.<ref name="goldberg">Template:Goldberg-Amtrak</ref>

The immediate impetus for the Pennsylvanian was the discontinuance of the National Limited, a New York–Kansas City train which had provided service over the corridor. That train, in turn, was the successor of the famed Spirit of St Louis. <ref name="sanders" />Template:Rp The Pennsylvanian began on April 27, 1980, as a state-supported daylight train between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with connecting service to New York City via the Philadelphian, a Clocker train westbound and the Montrealer eastbound.

At the time the Pennsylvanian was inaugurated, the Broadway Limited was departing Pittsburgh at an inconvenient early morning hour. The new train ran with Amfleet equipment, including a cafe car.<ref name="fisher">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Pennsylvania agreed to pay 20% of the train's costs for the first year, or $580,000, with the state and Amtrak eventually splitting the costs 50/50 by the third year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Between 1981 and 1983, Pennsylvanian equipment was turned every night to operate a second state-supported train, the Fort Pitt, which ran from Pittsburgh to Altoona.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Amtrak withdrew this train in early 1983 after the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) declined to continue subsidizing the increased operation. At the time the Fort Pitt carried 30 passengers per day.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> On October 30, 1983, the Pennsylvanian was extended to New York City, eliminating the transfer at Philadelphia.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

After significant ridership gains in 1984, PennDOT proposed that a second train be added to the route. PennDOT and Amtrak would have split the costs evenly. Amtrak officials were favorable, but budget problems stalled the plan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In the late 1980s, passenger rail groups urged Amtrak to extend the Pennsylvanian to Cleveland, Ohio. Proposals included new stations in Sewickley and Beaver Falls.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pressure increased in 1989 when Amtrak announced the re-routing of the Broadway Limited and Capitol Limited over that same route as part of a restructuring of routes in Indiana. As part of this change, the Capitol Limited began serving the Cleveland–Pittsburgh route, albeit in the middle of the night.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Amtrak and PennDOT considered two routes for an extended Pennsylvanian: one via Alliance, Ohio, following the route of the Capitol Limited, and one via Youngstown, Ohio, partially following the Broadway Limited, with a new stop in New Castle, Pennsylvania.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On November 7, 1998, Amtrak extended the Pennsylvanian through to Chicago along the route of the Capitol Limited via Toledo, finally bringing a daylight connection to Cleveland. The Three Rivers continued to run over a different schedule via Akron, Ohio and Fostoria. As part of the change Amtrak truncated the eastern end to Philadelphia, enabling the train to complete the run within a single day.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The change was driven by Amtrak's growing mail and express business; Pittsburgh–Philadelphia ridership suffered.<ref>Template:Cite magazine Template:Subscription required</ref>

21st century

Amtrak returned the Pennsylvanian to the New York–Pittsburgh route on January 27, 2003, citing low ridership and Amtrak's withdrawal from the express freight business.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref>

On November 1, 2004, Amtrak merged the Pennsylvanian and Three Rivers, keeping the latter name with a western terminus in Chicago. Amtrak had sought $2.5 million in assistance from Pennsylvania to keep both trains running. On March 8, 2005, Amtrak truncated service to Pittsburgh-New York City, and restored the Pennsylvanian name to the route.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref>

The train has been primarily financed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation since October 1, 2013, when the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 took effect.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This federal law eliminated federal subsidies for Amtrak routes less than Template:Convert in length.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

In late 2019, the train began operating with a baggage car for checked baggage and bicycle handling at New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Altoona, Johnstown and Pittsburgh.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In March 2020, service on the Pennsylvanian was suspended as part of a round of service reduction in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Service resumed on June 1, 2020.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Proposed expansion

Increased frequency

The Pennsylvania State Rail Plan 2020 called for a second round-trip Amtrak train between Pittsburgh and New York City, with one trip beginning and terminating in Cleveland. The second trip was then projected to begin during the fiscal year running from October 2023 to September 2024. The feasibility, schedule, and cost of adding a second train were underway as of November 2020.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In June 2022, the state and Norfolk Southern announced an agreement for a $200 million capacity improvement, with a second Pennsylvanian round trip to be added by 2025.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> By August 2023, the opening date had slipped to 2026, with construction on the necessary infrastructure planned to start in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In September 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern reached an agreement on making the necessary $200 million worth of improvements to the line for a second daily service.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In December 2023, the project was awarded $143.6 million from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) with PennDOT providing 20% in matching funds. The Pennsylvanian route was also selected into the FRA's Corridor Identification and Development Program, granting $500,000 to study further service increases.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Westward extension

There is currently no through service west of Pittsburgh, though the Floridian continues to provide service to Chicago. As part of its federally mandated analysis of the worst-performing long-distance routes, Amtrak determined that reinstating a through-car connection with the Pennsylvanian would result in the highest gain in monetary and customer service measurements of possible options.<ref name="trains web" /> To implement this, Amtrak plans to operate a Viewliner sleeper car, an Amfleet cafe car and two Amfleet coaches between Chicago and New York approximating the historic Broadway Limited, via the Capitol Limited and Pennsylvanian. This would begin when funding and equipment is available.<ref name="trains web">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On January 28, 2011, it was announced that Pennsylvania had received a $750,000 grant from the federal government to study expanding service westwards from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh along the route of the Pennsylvanian, including higher speeds and additional frequencies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Operation

Equipment

File:The Pennsylvanian (4932646659).jpg

The eastbound Pennsylvanian passing through Cassandra, Pennsylvania

A typical Pennsylvanian consists of a locomotive, a Viewliner baggage car, an Amfleet Business Class coach, Amfleet Café car, and four or five Amfleet coaches.<ref name="trainweb">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, trains are pulled by a GE Genesis diesel locomotive at speeds up to Template:Convert. Between Philadelphia and New York, the service operates over the Northeast Corridor which has overhead electric wires and trains are pulled by Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives at speeds up to Template:Convert

In the coming years all equipment will be replaced with Amtrak Airo trainsets, the railroad's branding of its combination of Siemens Venture passenger cars and a Siemens Charger diesel-electric locomotive.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The trainsets for the Pennsylvanian will have six passenger cars, which will include a food service area and a mix of 2x2 Coach Class and 2x1 Business Class seating.<ref name="2022 Asset Line Plan">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The car closest to the locomotive will be a specialized "Auxiliary Power Vehicle" which will include a pantograph to collect power from overhead lines and will feed it to four traction motors in the car, and via a DC link cable, to the four traction motors in the locomotive.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The arrangement will offer a near seamless transition between power sources, a process that currently requires a time-consuming locomotive change in Philadelphia.

Classes of service

All classes of service include complimentary WiFi, an electric outlet (120 V, 60 Hz AC) at each seat, reading lamps, fold-out tray tables. Reservations are required on all trains, tickets may be purchased online, from an agent at some stations, a ticketing machine at most stations, or, at a higher cost, from the conductor on the train.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Coach Class: 2x2 seating. Passengers self-select seats on a first-come, first-served basis.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Business Class: 2x2 seating with complimentary soft drinks.

Ridership

Over fiscal years 2009–2016, ridership grew from 199,484 to 223,114, an increase of 10.6%. Ridership peaked at 231,720 in FY 2015. Ticket revenue grew from $7,819,404 to $11,555,451, an increase of 47.8%.Template:Efn Starting in 2017 Amtrak stopped reporting their revenue data alongside ridership data. as such it was excluded.

Starting in fiscal year 2020, Amtrak revised how it calculates ridership, causing a small but noticeable drop in the 2019 numbers. It was chosen to report the revised metrics below.<ref name="Amtrak Ridership 2020">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 was split across FY2020 and FY2021, as reflected in the lower than average passenger numbers across those two years. The pandemic caused an initial drop of ridership in FY2020 of 39% on the route as compared to FY2019. The drop remained throughout FY2021, with a relative drop of 40.3% compared to FY2019, the last fiscal year pre-covid data exists.Template:Efn

{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart | group 1 = 199484:203392:207422:212006:218917:230767:231720:223114:221450:214827:209290:127683:128451:176130:192728:233942 | group 2 = 7819404:8453934:8856539:9281813:10431324:11447786:11530141:11555451:0:0:14800000:22700000:15500000:15000000:16600000:16000000 | units prefix = : $ | group names = Annual ridership:Annual revenue | x legends = 2009:2010:2011:2012:2013:2014:2015:2016:2017:2018:2019:2020:2021:2022:2023:2024 | scale per group = 1 | colors = blue:red | width = 800 }}

Route

File:Amtrak Pennsylvanian.svg

A map of the Pennsylvanian train route

Going westwards, the Pennsylvanian initially follows the portion of the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor from New York City to Philadelphia; the remainder of the route follows the historic Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line. It reverses direction in Philadelphia and follows the Amtrak-owned Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line to Harrisburg. The remaining portion over the Norfolk Southern Railway's Pittsburgh Line follows the Juniata River and then Little Juniata River to Altoona, after which it climbs Allegheny Mountain and then follows the Little Conemaugh River and then Conemaugh River. After crossing Chestnut Ridge, it winds across the Allegheny Plateau before descending Brush Creek and Turtle Creek into the Pittsburgh area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Station stops

State	Town/City	Station	Connections
NY	New York City	Penn Station	Template:Rint Amtrak (long-distance): Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Lake Shore Limited, Template:Lnl, Silver Meteor Template:Rint Amtrak (intercity): Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Ethan Allen Express, Keystone Service, Template:Lnl, Northeast Regional, Template:Lnl Template:Rint Long Island Rail Road: Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb Template:Rint NJ Transit: Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb Template:Rint NYC Subway: Template:NYCS Broadway-Seventh{{#ifeq:{{{exclude}}}|A	Template:NYCS time 2Template:NYCS br}}​{{#ifeq:{{{exclude}}}|C	Template:NYCS time 2Template:NYCS br}}​{{#ifeq:{{{exclude}}}|E	Template:NYCS time 2}} Template:Rint PATH: Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Rint Local bus: MTA Bus Template:Rint Intercity bus: FlixBus
NJ	Newark	Newark Penn Station	Template:Rint Amtrak: Acela, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Vermonter Template:Rint Newark Light Rail Template:Rint NJ Transit: Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb Template:Rint PATH: Template:Rcb Template:Rint Local bus: NJ Transit Bus Template:Rint Intercity bus: Template:Rint Greyhound, Coach USA, Fullington Trailways
	Trenton	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Amtrak: Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Vermonter Template:Rint NJ Transit: Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb Template:Rint SEPTA Regional Rail: Template:Rcb Template:Rint Local bus: SEPTA Suburban Bus, NJ Transit Bus
PA	Philadelphia	30th Street Station	Template:Rint Amtrak: Acela, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Vermonter Template:Rint SEPTA Regional Rail: all lines Template:Rint NJ Transit: Template:Rcb Template:Ric: Template:Ric Template:Ric Template:Rint Local bus: SEPTA City Bus, SEPTA Suburban Bus, NJ Transit Bus Template:Rint Intercity bus: Martz Trailways, Peter Pan
	Paoli	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Amtrak: Keystone Service Template:Rint SEPTA Regional Rail: Template:Rcb Template:Rint Local bus: SEPTA Suburban Bus
	Exton	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Amtrak: Keystone Service Template:Rint SEPTA Regional Rail: Template:Rcb Template:Rint Local bus: SEPTA Suburban Bus, West Chester University shuttle
	Lancaster	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Amtrak: Keystone Service Template:Rint Local bus: Red Rose Transit Authority
	Elizabethtown	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Amtrak: Keystone Service Template:Rint Local bus: Red Rose Transit Authority
	Harrisburg	Harrisburg Transportation Center	Template:Rint Amtrak: Keystone Service Template:Rint Local bus: Capital Area Transit, Lebanon Transit, rabbittransit Template:Rint Intercity bus: Template:Rint Greyhound, Fullington Trailways
	Lewistown	Template:Amtk
	Huntingdon	Template:Amtk
	Tyrone	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Intercity bus: Template:Rint Greyhound
	Altoona	Altoona Transportation Center	Template:Rint Local bus: AMTRAN Template:Rint Intercity bus: Template:Rint Greyhound
	Johnstown	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Local bus: CamTran Template:Rint Intercity bus: Template:Rint Greyhound
	Latrobe	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Local bus: Westmoreland County Transit Authority
	Greensburg	Template:Amtk	Template:Rint Local bus: Westmoreland County Transit Authority
	Pittsburgh	Union Station	Template:Rint Amtrak: Template:Lnl Template:Rint Local bus: Pittsburgh Regional Transit Template:Rint Intercity bus: Template:Rint Greyhound, Fullington Trailways

External links

• Template:Amtrak web