HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on Thursday held a virtual public meeting to gather feedback on the 2025 Pennsylvania State Rail Plan, a document that lays out how freight and passenger rail will evolve across the state for the next quarter century.

The session, held via Zoom, drew participants from across the commonwealth as PennDOT officials outlined the goals of the plan and invited comments before the public review period ends Oct. 24. The plan, required every four years by the Federal Railroad Administration, focuses on safety, economic development, and investment priorities in a state that operates more railroads than any other in the nation.

“With more operating railroads than any other state in the country, rail is a critical part of Pennsylvania’s transportation landscape,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “Through this comment period, Pennsylvanians can share their visions for passenger and freight rail across the commonwealth, and we look forward to their feedback.”

Officials emphasized the rail plan isn’t merely a technical document but a roadmap for future infrastructure spending and policy decisions. It evaluates current conditions, identifies bottlenecks, and highlights opportunities for expansion, particularly in intermodal freight connections, short-line railroad upgrades, and the potential restoration of passenger service to key corridors.

Carroll said rail improvements often intersect with local issues such as industrial redevelopment and highway congestion. “The growth of e-commerce has changed freight patterns dramatically,” he said. “We’re seeing more short-haul distribution centers, and rail can help keep trucks off rural highways while supporting economic growth.”

PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation Jennie Granger said the plan aims to strengthen the state’s position as a national logistics hub. “Pennsylvania sits at the crossroads of the East Coast freight network,” Granger said. “Every improvement we make in our rail infrastructure has a ripple effect that benefits businesses from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.”

Public participants asked about topics ranging from noise mitigation and grade crossing safety to expanding Amtrak’s reach west of Harrisburg. Others pressed the department to coordinate better with local governments, noting that small-town crossings and industrial spurs can be overlooked in large-scale plans.

The 2025 draft builds on the 2021 version but incorporates updated freight forecasts and environmental goals consistent with Pennsylvania’s broader climate initiatives. It also reflects lessons from the pandemic, which reshaped both freight logistics and commuter rail ridership. Carroll said an important objective is ensuring that Pennsylvania’s rail system remains flexible enough to accommodate shifting demand, whether that means heavier freight traffic from energy projects or new regional passenger routes.

Rail advocates from central Pennsylvania said the plan should place a stronger emphasis on rural connectivity. “Places like Lewistown and Huntingdon are part of the state’s economic spine,” Carroll said, summarizing feedback PennDOT received during outreach sessions. “We need to make sure investment isn’t concentrated only in the big metro corridors.”

Granger added the agency is listening closely to those concerns. “Rural regions depend on short-line railroads the same way cities depend on commuter lines,” she said. “If we want to create a truly balanced transportation system, we have to support both.”

The agency will collect feedback through Oct. 24 via the Advancing PA Rail website or email, after which revisions will be incorporated before the plan is submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration for approval.

Carroll told attendees that federal partnerships and private-sector collaboration would be central to funding future projects. “We can’t do this alone,” he said. “Rail is a shared system — one where public benefits often come through private ownership. That means we have to be creative about how we leverage state dollars.”

The draft plan also addresses the growing role of short-line and regional railroads, many of which serve rural shippers or agricultural producers. Maintaining those lines, Carroll said, can make or break local economies. “When a mill or quarry loses rail access, jobs disappear,” he said. “These smaller systems might not make headlines, but they keep the supply chain moving.”

Kevin Keefe, executive director of the Pennsylvania Short Line Railroad Association, praised PennDOT for including short-line investment as a priority. “Our lines might only run 10 or 20 miles, but they connect the big players to the rest of the economy,” Keefe said. “Without us, thousands of small manufacturers and farmers would have no efficient way to move their goods.”

For passenger service, the plan reiterates support for the existing Pennsylvanian route between Pittsburgh and New York, with studies continuing on a possible second daily train and additional stops along the corridor. Other long-term possibilities include connecting Scranton to New York City via restored service through the Poconos and improving reliability on SEPTA’s regional network.

Amtrak spokesperson Beth Toll, who attended the session, said the agency supports PennDOT’s long-term vision. “We see real potential for adding frequency on the Pennsylvanian,” Toll said. “Ridership has rebounded faster than expected, and demand is growing for more service in western and central Pennsylvania.”

While the meeting remained civil, some participants voiced frustration over the pace of rail investment. Carroll acknowledged those concerns, saying PennDOT wants to balance ambition with realism. “The key is to have a plan grounded in data and partnerships so that when funding becomes available, we’re ready,” he said.

Granger echoed that point. “People are right to expect action,” she said. “But what this plan does is make sure Pennsylvania is at the front of the line when the funding doors open.”

The department also noted that equity and accessibility remain guiding principles. Translation services and Title VI compliance are part of the outreach effort, and meeting materials will remain online for public review.

As the session ended, Carroll encouraged residents to explore the draft plan online and share input on how rail can better serve their regions. The feedback, he said, will help shape investment priorities that ripple through the economy, from commuter convenience to the cost of goods in small-town stores.

The next formal step will be incorporating comments and presenting a final draft to the Federal Railroad Administration later this year. Once adopted, the State Rail Plan will guide funding applications and project selections for the next four years, charting the tracks for how Pennsylvania moves people and freight through 2050.