PennDOT Should Take Over Keystone East Railway: U.S. Rep. Smucker

TREDYFFRIN TOWNSHIP, PA — A U.S. Rep. is calling for Amtrak's Keystone East Line to be taken over by PennDOT, a move that would include the most-used regional line, Paoli-Thorndale, and the recently revamped Paoli Station.

U.S. Rep. (PA-11) Lloyd Smucker has introduced legislation to require Amtrak to transfer ownership of the Keystone East Line and certain stations along that line to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for management by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

H.R. 8389, the Keystone Line for the Commonwealth Act comes after Amtrak recently invested $16 million in the Paoli Station, winning an award for the Tredyffrin Township project. The Paoli-Thorndale Line has SEPTA's highest regional ridership, according to SEPTA.

Amtrak said it has been "a careful steward of the Keystone Line since we acquired it in 1976."

"Investments by Amtrak and PennDOT, including nearly $100 million in Amtrak-funded capital improvements over the past five years, have transformed the Keystone Line into a high-performance rail corridor with maximum speeds of 110 mph on which Amtrak ridership (pre-pandemic) has nearly doubled over the past 15 years," said Amtrak Public Relations Manager Beth Toll.

The Keystone East Line is one of Amtrak's state-supported rail lines that runs wholly within Pennsylvania. The line's operations are heavily subsidized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to the tune of approximately $100 million annually. The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) required that certain routes, like the Keystone East Line, be funded directly by the States.

Smucker said on Oct. 13, "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. 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."

Smucker, further criticized Amtrak's progress on station improvements.

"Additionally, at a recent committee hearing, Amtrak’s president was unable to answer whether all stations on the line are ADA compliant. Not a promising sign. My legislation to reorganize the rail line under PennDOT’s management will fix these ever-present issues all the while improving service and giving riders the type of commuter service they've been seeking," said Smucker.

The Keystone Corridor runs 349 miles between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, and the Keystone East section refers to the rails between Philadelphia and Harrisburg.

Smucker's proposed legislation has also been supported in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which earlier this year unanimously adopted House Resolution 918, urging the United States Department of Transportation to relinquish ownership of the Harrisburg line to PennDOT.

State Rep. Tim Hennessy (R-Chester/Montgomery) authored of House Resolution 918 in June.

"The Commonwealth subsidizes Amtrak service on the Keystone East Line, which runs from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, by nearly $100 million annually. Yet Amtrak treats the Keystone East Line as a low-priority rail corridor. It is heavily used by SEPTA with its 88 daily commuter trains as compared to Amtrak's 27 daily trains. While Amtrak seems more focused on the Northeast corridor rails, SEPTA would be more responsive to needed maintenance on the Keystone East Line when storms cause temporary stoppages on the track," said Hennessy.

SEPTA supports the legislation.

"SEPTA is grateful for Congressman Smucker's commitment to improving commuter and intercity passenger rail service in Pennsylvania," said SEPTA General Manager Leslie S. Richards.

"This bill would bring control of the Keystone East Line to the state level — opening up opportunities for SEPTA also to improve service on the Paoli-Thorndale Line, which is SEPTA's highest ridership Regional Rail line. We look forward to working with all parties on this important initiative," Richards added.

Amtrak said it wants to work together with SEPTA and PennDOT, but disagreed with Smucker's approach.

A statement from Amtrak said, "We appreciate those in Congress who want to further improve the line, and we believe that the best way to do this is through strong federal support for Amtrak, such as enactment of the $10 billion for Amtrak included in the House’s FY21 appropriations bill. Amtrak believes that a railroad's infrastructure can be best maintained by the railroad and not by third parties that do not have Amtrak's unique experience in managing the operation, maintenance and upgrading of electrified, over-100 mph rail corridors in compliance with U.S. rail safety regulations."

"We look forward to continuing to work with SEPTA, PennDOT, and our federal delegation to manage service and growth on this line, and to secure the necessary funding for additional improvements," Toll added.

But Smucker called for "greater local control and accountability" for the state's "enormous" investments.

"By granting Pennsylvania ownership of the Keystone Line, we can provide greater local control, accountability, and expand ridership opportunities. Pennsylvania has made enormous investments into the Keystone Line, without managerial control. PennDOT and SEPTA are the agencies most directly accountable to the taxpayers that fund the Keystone East Line. Transferring this line would ensure that the residents of my congressional district and of south-central Pennsylvania are receiving quality public transportation," said Smucker.

"The Commonwealth recognizes passenger rail as a critical travel and commuting option, and we are heavily invested in its efficient operation," Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Yassmin Gramian said.

"Localized administration of a service Pennsylvanians rely on daily would help ensure long-term sustainability and increase options for service expansion," Gramian said.

The Paoli station project received the Pennsylvania Rail/Transit Transformative Project Award in March 2019.

"The Paoli Station Accessibility Improvements Project is a great example of what can be accomplished when we work together," SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel said in 2019.

"In just these two years, we've seen a major transformation at this critical transportation hub, which now has ADA accessibility, modern passenger amenities and an improved traffic flow that has enhanced safety for customers. I’m thrilled to see what has been accomplished so far – and this is only the beginning," Knueppel added.