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unenlightenedgoblin t1_j7lbyr2 wrote

A few things:

  • Those tracks (Pennsylvania RR) were built before dynamite had been invented, so blasting through inconveniently-located mountains (as they did for the Turnpike and I-80) wasn’t feasible. Since trains can’t operate on steep grades, this has resulted in rather indirect paths. The mountains decided where the tracks went as much as the planners did.
  • State College didn’t formally exist at the time said tracks were built. State College didn’t have any appreciable population until the 1960s, by which point cars and buses were both widely available and promoted by the government.
  • The tracks that pass through the State College area continue to Williamsport before you can continue south again. The only through route that would make sense there would be Pittsburgh-Scranton, which wouldn’t have much travel demand (though it could continue to NYC). Any route to Philly would most likely have to double-back, adding travel time and operational cost.
  • Cars. We massively subsidize driving throughout the US, so often rail is not competitive on price. As far as I’m aware none of the roads around there have tolls.
  • Buses. It’s much cheaper and less complex to run buses.

I would love to see it happen, but especially connecting to Philly would be challenging unless they laid new track (very difficult given property rights, lack of public support, cost, engineering, etc)

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sintactacle t1_j7m7tdz wrote

>Buses. It’s much cheaper and less complex to run buses.

And this is exactly what Amtrak does via thruway connecting services when a demand is there but laying new rail lines is not feasible. e.g. the State of Maine.

Also when I travel to Philadelphia from Central PA, it's always by Amtrak because it's about the same cost as tolls/fuel/parking but there is absolutely no stress involved that comes with driving to Center City. The train is usually at 10 to 20 percent capacity with most passengers hopping on closer to Philadelphia. You sometimes feel as if you are the only one in the train car on the lucky days.

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unenlightenedgoblin t1_j7mcv2c wrote

I can’t seem to find it, but saw a chart recently showing that while driving, rail, and flying have all recovered to pre-pandemic levels, intercity bus ridership has shown little recovery. I don’t have a great explanation for why, other than anecdotally some of the routes that used to serve Pittsburgh were canceled and never restored, wouldn’t be surprised if that’s also happened elsewhere.

When I lived in Germany, it was possible to get nearly anywhere in the country using some combination of public transport, even tiny dorfs (villages). I wish we had that same lifeline throughout our Commonwealth.

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shanafme t1_j7m67oy wrote

Nailed on the head. The mainline from Philly to Pittsburgh has a fascinating history and most of it happened well before SC became a “thing”.

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bonzoboy2000 t1_j7n562c wrote

I recall on the West Side of campus was a bar called “Train Station.” When I was there, it was just a bus depot. But I thought trains did go to SC at one point.

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IamSauerKraut t1_j7nj3qa wrote

That bar on College Ave was owned by a guy who loved trains. Not near any old station.

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IamSauerKraut t1_j7nif4y wrote

Yeah, Seven Mountains is a bitch to get thru. There is an old rail line that extends just past the Standard Steel Plant in Yeagertown off 322 north of Lewistown. Not sure if trains go that far up but I have seen them behind the crack donald's in Lewistown. Not surprised the line stops there. Gets gnarly thereafter.

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[deleted] t1_j7n1f86 wrote

[deleted]

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wheresaldopa t1_j7n7ibf wrote

Not to Philly, but to Pittsburgh, yes. I'll explain:

The Pennsylvanian is the Amtrak train that runs between the two cities, originating in New York and terminating in Pittsburgh. It runs entirely on Amtrak-owned and operated rail from New York to Harrisburg, initially via the Northeast Corridor to Philadelphia, then to Harrisburg via the Keystone Corridor. These two sections are some of the only electrified rail lines in the entire country. From Harrisburg, the Pennsylvanian switches over to Norfolk Southern's Pittsburgh Line, which is the line that runs through Horseshoe Curve. It runs through twice a day, once eastbound in the mid to late morning and once westbound in the late afternoon.

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