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LEWISTOWN -- The sight and sound of trains passing through the Lewistown Junction Train Station has been occurring for years. At one time, it was much more frequent than it is today.
A new agreement between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corp. will change that. The two announced an agreement on Friday that will expand passenger rail service on the Pennsylvanian Amtrak line, meaning the trains will pass through Lewistown twice a day.
"Mifflin County has been hoping for an increase in passenger rail service for quite some time," Mifflin County Commissioner Kevin Kodish said of Friday's announcement.
"Increasing passenger rail service can potentially provide numerous advantages to our community, including economic growth, improved accessibility and enhanced quality of life," he added. "These benefits make investments in passenger rail service an important factor in community development and long-term prosperity."
Thanks to this expansion, more passengers will have access to modern, safe, reliable passenger rail that gets them where they need to go - connecting Pennsylvania communities and bringing jobs, economic development, and infrastructure investment along with it.
That includes riding on Amtrak's new Airo train, which is scheduled to debut in 2026. Amtrak will add the modern, faster passenger trains once rail upgrades have been completed, Amtrak officials said.
"This agreement lays the groundwork for expanded passenger rail service in Western Pennsylvania while simultaneously preserving a critical freight rail corridor," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll in a press release. "Ensuring more Pennsylvanians have access to safe and reliable transportation to Western PA will reduce commute times, help connect hundreds of thousands of residents and boost local economies. This expansion of service on the Pennsylvanian will provide key mobility and economic benefits."
Currently, the Pennsylvanian Amtrak service travels roundtrip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg once daily. The agreement that Norfolk Southern and PennDOT entered into supports increasing those Pennsylvanian passenger services to twice a day.
To support these expanded passenger operations, the state will invest more than $200 million in infrastructure and safety improvements that will be constructed and maintained by Norfolk Southern. PennDOT has applied for grant funds through the Federal Railroad Administration to help pay for these improvements.
"Passenger rail service promotes tourism by providing convenient access to popular destinations," Kodish said. "Additionally, it can encourage cultural exchange by facilitating travel between communities with diverse cultures and attractions.
"Many people from here enjoy taking the train to Philadelphia, New York City, Pittsburgh and Chicago," he added. "Increasing the options for our local travelers is a big plus."
The future improvements and construction will stem from a previously released Norfolk Southern operational feasibility study requested by PennDOT and includes upgraded rail lines, sidings and necessary communications signals infrastructure.
Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads - the most of any state in the country - and ranks fifth in total track mileage with more than 5,600 miles.