EASTON, Pa. — Two supporters of a long-awaited return of passenger rail service to Lehigh Valley go walking.
One has a bouncy spring in his step, dreaming about the social, economic and environmental benefits of such a return.
The other, while acknowledging his companion’s sunny outlook, wears a look of funding anxiety and other concerns regarding the real prospects of rail’s return.
Such was the duality of discussion at a Lehigh Valley Rail Briefing on Thursday at Lafayette College's Williams Center for the Arts.
“We need to quantify what the challenges and benefits and long-term benefits are."Brett Webber, a Pennsylvania representative to the Rail Passengers Association, talking about a Lehigh Valley train service
All Aboard Lehigh Valley held the four-hour forum, which consisted of presentations by local and national industry experts regarding passenger rail service from the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area to New York City.
There were discussions on recent studies and planned passenger rail service developments and how they pertain to rail’s possible return to the Lehigh Valley after it was discontinued more than 45 years ago.
“Talk about passenger rail service returning to the Lehigh Valley has been going on for years,” moderator Brett Webber, a Pennsylvania representative to the Rail Passengers Association, said.
“We need to quantify what the challenges and benefits and long-term benefits are. And the state takes greater initiative once it hears from its people.”
Program will take time, money
The ambitious program will take time — and money — program participants were told.
In 2024, an initial Lehigh Valley Passenger Rail Analysis released by a state Transportation Department-commissioned consultant, WSP, pointed out the considerable hurdles the project faces.
WSP put forth a 14-step, 10-to-12-year process — at a cost of $552 to $841 million.
“There is only one path on the road to rail and that involves the federal government, which has jurisdiction over planning, implementation and operations. If it is underfunded or understaffed, it will result in a failed initiative.”Becky A. Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commissioner and secretary of its Transportation Study
According to Becky A. Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commissioner and secretary of its Transportation Study, Phase II will cost the region $450,000.
“Lehigh County has committed half,” Bradley said. “Northampton County was approached but declined. We have half.
“There is only one path on the road to rail and that involves the federal government, which has jurisdiction over planning, implementation and operations.
“If it is underfunded or understaffed, it will result in a failed initiative.”
Aided by a slide presentation, Bradley showed that the Lehigh Valley’s population is more than 780,000, with 1 million on the horizon.
“Over the past 10 years, we’ve gone on to being a net importer of talent,” she said.
“We have more than doubled the people who live somewhere else and work here. That’s a huge game changer for an interconnected transportation system.”
'Makes communities better'
David Peter Alan, a contributing editor of Railway Age and a long-time passenger rail advocate, painted a rather dour picture of passenger rail returning to the Lehigh Valley.
“Nationally on the rail scene, you couldn’t be presenting at more of a grim time,” he said via Zoom.
“Things are bad. Amtrak’s long-distance network is in jeopardy; some equipment is 40 years old, with deteriorating tracks.
“Bringing back services to Allentown and Bethlehem will not be easy. It’ll be 10 to 12 years as a startup. It’ll take reconnecting the old New Jersey line, whose tracks are deteriorating.”
“This needs to be done because it makes communities better, safer and more attractive.”Jim Mathews, chief executive officer of Rail Passengers Association
While Alan is a proponent of rail service returning to Lehigh Valley, he warned that without elected officials getting on board, “nothing happens.”
One national study showed that Americans are in favor of more passenger rail services. Seventy-eight percent support it, and 57% support high speed rail.
Sixty percent said they would spend $100 billion or more to improve rail service nationwide.
“This needs to be done because it makes communities better, safer and more attractive,” said Jim Mathews, chief executive officer of Rail Passengers Association, which represents 40 million rail travelers nationwide.
With good news comes bad
Mathews used a slide presentation to show that passenger rail is a prosperity engine in the United States.
He used Denver as an example of the benefits the Lehigh Valley can realize from passenger rail.
After constructing an Amtrak train station in its downtown in 2008, the city experienced 21% employment growth and 153% in residential growth.
The same type of economic boom occurred in Virginia, northern New England and among three states in the rust belt from passenger rail.
“It’s a multiplier. The train stops, people get off and visit the city."Jim Mathews, chief executive officer of Rail Passengers Association
“It’s a multiplier,” Mathews said. “The train stops, people get off and visit the city. They go to jazz clubs, restaurants, stay overnight in hotels, have drinks and breakfast the next day before leaving.”
But with the good news comes the bad.
Mathews voiced concerns about approved federal rail funding programs being stalled by the Trump Administration.
On Wednesday, Amtrak Chief Executive Officer Stephen Gardner was forced to resign following Trump advisor Elon Musk saying this month that he believes Amtrak should be privatized.
Amtrak gets significant federal funding, and the Trump Administration continues policies to radically shrink the U.S. government.
'So many benefits'
State Rep. Robert L. Freeman, D-136th District, said restoring passenger rail service would be a huge benefit to the region and serve as the true engine of economic development.
“Highway development funnels development out of the urban core back into the hinterlands,” Freeman said.
“By contrast, train service funnels service back in which is a tremendous opportunity for businesses and improving tourism.
“There are so many benefits to passenger rail to New York City. We should make them a reality.”
Lamont McClure, outgoing Northampton County executive, noted environmental benefits that would spawn from passenger rail.
“We’re talking millions of dollars in a long-term transportation plan and millions to expand Route 22 to accommodate more cars, more trucks.
“But what passenger rail can do is reduce that. These are the fundamental concepts that have not been reconciled.”
McClure also referenced the so-called BostWash Corridor, along the seaboard and inland through Boston, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
“We’re in the heart of that distribution center,” he said. We’re one of the biggest freight areas in the northeast corridor. Are we going to continue that or balance it with passenger rail and gain those benefits?”
'Cost of abandoning even greater'
The wide-ranging benefits of passenger rail were echoed by Brian Licari, vice president at Econsult Solutions Inc., an economic consulting firm in Philadelphia.
“There is a social return with passenger rail,” Licari said. “There are economic impacts, quality of life impacts, safety impacts and environmental impacts.
"The investment would have positive outcomes.”
The next steps toward a return of passenger rail to the Lehigh Valley consist of building on the results of the Lehigh Valley Passenger Rail Feasibility Study and other studies, identify a project sponsor and expand political and community support.
“The cost of getting passenger rail trains going again will be great. The cost of abandoning the project will be even greater for Lehigh Valley."Brett Webber, a Pennsylvania representative to the Rail Passengers Association
A final and perhaps most vital step is for the Lehigh Valley to consider applying for the next possible round of Rail Corridor ID projects, which it didn’t previously.
Rail Corridor ID applications are part of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program, a framework to guide intercity passenger rail development, creating a pipeline of projects ready for implementation and federal funding.
“The cost of getting passenger rail trains going again will be great,” Webber said. “The cost of abandoning the project will be even greater for Lehigh Valley.
“This is what every metro area does when it grows up and realizes it has to have some kind of transportation system.”
The next rail summit will be Oct. 14 at Lafayette College.
