Rail to the Lehigh Valley - dare we hope??

[Mr.Retired]

A round trip from NY to PA and back by car runs about 100 bucks.
This is just for gas and tolls in your own vehicle. That's 50 bucks each way.
It is not including, insurance,registration and wear and tear on the vehicle.
Now imagine on top of that, having to pay some one to bring you back and
forth?

I do not see a cheap and affordable way to travel daily to a big city any time soon.

[Tweb66]

Someone needs to just make it happen. Like 90% of Amtrak is a money losing venture, with the Acela corridor making it close to solvent. If all these remote places can have unprofitable rail connections, why can't we? Someone needs to say "here is what we are going to do; find some spot along the rail lines on the southside of Allentown, make a train station and make a connection. There is loads of cheap, developable land on the soutside to build higher end housing for commuters. Boost the local tax base, save the Allentown School District and boom, we now have a thriving city". There a million rust belt towns with no prospects. The Lehigh Valley has prospects, just gotta make it happen. Covering farmland with warehouses is better than nothing, but cannot be the end game.

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by Tweb66

Someone needs to just make it happen. Like 90% of Amtrak is a money losing venture, with the Acela corridor making it close to solvent. If all these remote places can have unprofitable rail connections, why can't we? Someone needs to say "here is what we are going to do; find some spot along the rail lines on the southside of Allentown, make a train station and make a connection. There is loads of cheap, developable land on the soutside to build higher end housing for commuters. Boost the local tax base, save the Allentown School District and boom, we now have a thriving city". There a million rust belt towns with no prospects. The Lehigh Valley has prospects, just gotta make it happen. Covering farmland with warehouses is better than nothing, but cannot be the end game.

I totally agree. Rail can be a game changer.

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by Tweb66

Someone needs to just make it happen. Like 90% of Amtrak is a money losing venture, with the Acela corridor making it close to solvent. If all these remote places can have unprofitable rail connections, why can't we? Someone needs to say "here is what we are going to do; find some spot along the rail lines on the southside of Allentown, make a train station and make a connection. There is loads of cheap, developable land on the soutside to build higher end housing for commuters. Boost the local tax base, save the Allentown School District and boom, we now have a thriving city". There a million rust belt towns with no prospects. The Lehigh Valley has prospects, just gotta make it happen. Covering farmland with warehouses is better than nothing, but cannot be the end game.

Totally agree. I grew up in Easton and stayed until going off to college, moving to Philly after graduating. I still go back to Easton to see family from time to time and, from the 90s to now, have always seen the huge need for transit to NYC. HOWEVER, the elephant in the room is this: how long is heavy rail going to be the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective transit choice? It will take, what, 10-15 years to build out these massive projects we're discussing - establish the rail route, claim eminent domain in courts for property that is critical, build the rail, build and establish the stations, etc...

We already have the technology for self-driving cars. Entire towns in CA have taxicab services of self-driving cars, and, while there are some bugs to work out, they are getting streamlined quickly. In two decades from now, it's possible we'll jump in the back seat of our hovercraft or car and get on our laptop as it self-drives (following all road laws and thus reducing accidents dramatically) us to our destination. Or, for those that can't afford a single-family car, replicate with buses or larger people-carriers of some sort.

Now, I'm playing devil's advocate to large extent with this. It's very possible, or more likely probable, that I'm escalating the timeframe of getting this future scenario in place. However, my broader point is this - does it actually make sense to build out massive rail infrastructure really anywhere, except those areas where infrastructure already exists and only a quick-add on would be necessary, at this point in time in technological advancements?

[BugsyPal]

*Update*

https://www.mcall.com/2023/12/06/scr...n-left-behind/

[Boothwynman]

Originally Posted by BugsyPal

*Update*

https://www.mcall.com/2023/12/06/scr...n-left-behind/

Article is behind a hard paywall.

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by Boothwynman

Article is behind a hard paywall.

Not for me which is how one came upon the thing. If you don't know how to configure your browser to avoid such things I can't help you.

Try a internet news search using keywords " EVAN JONES" and "Morning Call".