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Laccawanna Cutoff History of Conrail sale to PA and NJ?

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  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Fountain Valley, CA, USA
  • 607 posts
Posted by garyla on Saturday, August 30, 2008 9:48 PM

Question for you who are familiar with the situation:

Assuming that it gets done at all, what are the most optimistic schedule projections for getting this transit line running from Scranton into the metropolitan New York City area?

When visiting Scranton in 1997, (along with getting a ride behind steam) I heard plenty of talk about this issue even back then. 

Are we looking at another ten years or so?  Just wondering what the speculation is.  Thanks in advance for any insights.

If I ever met a train I didn't like, I can't remember when it happened!
  • Member since
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Posted by henry6 on Sunday, August 31, 2008 9:01 AM
 garyla wrote:

Question for you who are familiar with the situation:

Assuming that it gets done at all, what are the most optimistic schedule projections for getting this transit line running from Scranton into the metropolitan New York City area?

When visiting Scranton in 1997, (along with getting a ride behind steam) I heard plenty of talk about this issue even back then. 

Are we looking at another ten years or so?  Just wondering what the speculation is.  Thanks in advance for any insights.

 

2010, late 2010, most optimistic shot now...NJT has started to build 7 miles from Port Morris to Andover, NJ; rest is awaiting (imminent) release of monies following accceptance of envorionmental study.  Then rest of Cut Off and all of PA can start engineering.

RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.

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Posted by JT22CW on Friday, September 5, 2008 8:19 PM
rest is awaiting (imminent) release of monies following accceptance of envorionmental study
Got proof that it's imminent?

And release of money from whom? If the state of NJ doesn't put up money, then the federal government will not.

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Posted by henry6 on Saturday, September 6, 2008 9:44 AM
 JT22CW wrote:
rest is awaiting (imminent) release of monies following accceptance of envorionmental study
Got proof that it's imminent?

And release of money from whom? If the state of NJ doesn't put up money, then the federal government will not.

 

There are at least three funding sources involved: NJT, Federal Govt. and Commonwealth of PA.   The Federal government's money is what is being held as part of the acceptence of the environmental impact study process.  NJT, to its credit, has decided to build the 7 mile segment from Port Morris to Andover.  It is a needed immediate service in that area plus it is part of the total long range Scranton servcie project.

It has been difficult for me to understand and accept the political and bureacratic process.  Elsewhere I am dealing with a legal issue which is just as convoluted and drawn out.  I have learned, or at least resigned myself, that neither the legal issue nor the Scranton rail project, can be speeded up just because I want it to, that our political and legal system are what they are and there is noting I can do but sit back and wait.  It has taken a long time for me to accept that, but I have.  And it is even more difficult to try to convince others to.

RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.

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