Photo courtesy of RAINFAN GUIDES An Amtrak train passes through the Lewistown Junction Train Station.

LEWISTOWN – Like the engines that roar down its tracks, construction plans for the Lewistown Junction Train Station seem to be picking up steam, according to industry experts and trade publications.

Plans for the Lewistown station include upgrading the bathroom to meet requirements from the American Disabilities Act of 1991.

“The design plans are being completed by Amtrak,” the 2025 Pennsylvania State Rail Plan stated. “The 100 percent design was distributed to stakeholders in July. There are PennDOT and stormwater design approvals that have been secured as part of the process. But there are some historical society comments that are outstanding that need to be addressed. Hoping to move into construction in Fiscal Year 2025 sometime after October 2025.”

That’s the first time a firm date has been mentioned in some time, local officials said, although the date has passed without any visible construction or activity.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation had put the 2025 Pennsylvania State Rail Plan on display for public review and comment until Friday, Oct. 24. A virtual public meeting to discuss the plan was also held on Oct. 16.

The State Rail Plan is updated every four years, in collaboration with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), as well as stakeholders and the public.

The plan focuses on safety, passenger and freight rail, funding, policy, the environment and economic development. The plan also evaluates and documents opportunities for improvement and growth in passenger and freight rail over the next 25 years to guide investments.

“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 prior to the start of the review period.

“Through this comment period, Pennsylvanians can share their visions for passenger and freight rail across the commonwealth, and we look forward to their feedback,” Carroll added.

In 2023, counts for the Lewistown station increased and measured 9,531 passengers compared to 4,790 passengers for Huntingdon and 2,989 passengers for Tyrone.

Reservations are now required to ride Keystone Service trains, including between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, on Saturday, Sunday and holidays operating on a weekend schedule.

Another section of the plan asked if updates to the station allow for Thruway Bus Service, as there is a strong interest in the State College area for expanded Thruway service and having bus service that connects closer to the Lewistown station would be well received.

While plans over the years have included drawings of a bus loop, the ADA improvements focus on the station itself.

In addition to moving freight, Norfolk Southern has also played an industry-leading role in hosting new and existing passenger services, working with passenger rail partners to find solutions that balance the needs of the company’s freight network and the customers it serves with those of its communities, one railroad organization recently reported .

Over the last several years, Norfolk Southern said it has made major strides in helping to boost passenger rail options while preserving freight rail connections critical to the economy. Thanks to strong collaboration with state partners, Norfolk Southern has supported the launch of 11 new roundtrip Amtrak train starts — or 22 trains per day — in the last 15 years. “That’s more than any other Class I railroad and reflects a deliberate approach to passenger rail growth that complements our freight operations,” Norfolk Southern said in a release.

In September 2023, Norfolk Southern and PennDOT announced that Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian route, which travels round trip between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg, running over Norfolk Southern tracks between the latter two cities in Pennsylvania would double.

Under the agreement, the round-trip Amtrak service would run twice daily, and Norfolk Southern and PennDOT would partner to make and maintain critical infrastructure upgrades needed to ensure the lines could support demand. Infrastructure improvements under this agreement are designed to accommodate increased passenger demand while maintaining critical freight throughput.

“This agreement lays the groundwork for expanded passenger rail service in Western Pennsylvania while simultaneously preserving a critical freight rail corridor,” Carroll said at the time. “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.”

Westmont resident Robert Gleason Jr., a leading proponent of expanded passenger rail service in western Pennsylvania, now holds one of the highest-ranking positions within the National Railroad Passenger Corp., commonly known as Amtrak.

He was confirmed to the organization’s board of directors by the U.S. Senate recently. Gleason was sworn in for a five-year term.