Amtrak Wants to Remove Some Block Signals From its Keystone Corridor in Pennsylvania

Amtrak is seeking regulatory approval to remove automatic wayside block signals on its line between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

In a notice published in the Federal Register, the Federal Railroad Administration said the passenger carrier cited the existence of a positive train control system on the route as providing enough protection for train operations.

The signals to be removed serve as distant signals to existing interlockings in the Keystone Corridor.

The FRA notice said the territory covered by the waiver being sought extends from Park Interlocking at milepost 46.3 and Roy Interlocking at MP 94.3.

 “In its petition, Amtrak explains that formerly, the automatic wayside signals served as distant signals to the existing interlockings. However, as Amtrak has fully implemented PTC, which imposes ‘updated standards for cab, no-wayside signal territory to remove all automatic signals[,] including distant signals,’ Amtrak seeks permission to remove 10 signals (at MPs 55.3, 59.2, 64.5, 66.1, 70.8, 71.8, 81.5, 86.0, 92.3, and 96.4). Amtrak states that the removal of the signals will ‘eliminate maintenance and operation of unnecessary hardware [that is] no longer needed.’” The FRA notice said.\

Amtrak owns the line although some Norfolk Southern freight trains also use it.

The notice said NORAC Rules will remain in effect and there “will be no changes to operating practices because of this modification.”

Amtrak told regulators the cab signal system without fixed automatic block signals and positive train control systems will continue to enforce train speed and positive train stops under normal operations.

If the cab signal system fails, PTC will continue to prevent train-to-train collisions through enforcement of positive train stop at interlocking signals when all tracks are not clear to the next interlocking with a permissive signal, Amtrak said.

In the event of a PTC failure, the cab control system will continue to enforce restricted speed in approach to occupied blocks and stop signals. If both system fails, trains must follow the operating rules currently in place.

Amtrak said it would start removing the signals upon receiving FRA approval, a project expected to take up to two years.

The FRA said in its notice that it does not anticipate scheduling a public hearing “since the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing.”

Track Work to Affect Keystones on Weekends

Track work will lead to schedule changes to Amtrak’s Keystone Service on weekends starting May 21 and lasting through June 26.

Train 615 will depart Philadelphia at 2 p.m. and operate five minutes later to Harrisburg, arriving at 3:47 p.m.

Train 663 will depart Philadelphia at 11 a.m, operating 10 minutes later to Harrisburg, arriving at 12:55 p.m.

Train 667 will depart Philadelphia at 5 p.m, operating five minutes later to Harrisburg, arriving at 6:50 p.m.

Train 669 will depart Philadelphia at 7 p.m., operating five minutes later to Harrisburg, arriving at 8:50 p.m.

Middletown Station to Open Jan. 10

Amtrak will begin using the new Middletown, Pennsylvania, station on Jan. 10 following completion of construction of the multimodal facility.

In a news release, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said the new station will have high-level accessible boarding platforms, a pedestrian overpass, elevators, stair towers, on-site parking, and bus loading zones.

PennDOT said the $49.5 million station project was part of an initiative to improve rail passenger travel in the Keystone Corridor, part of which also is used by commuter trains of Philadelphia-based Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

Funding for the project included $25.6 million from the Federal Transit Administration, $15.9 million from PennDOT and $8 million of in-kind work from Amtrak.

PennDOT said it collaborated with the Middletown Borough, Capital Area Transit and Harrisburg International Airport.

In a related development, Amtrak said low-level platforms will go into service on Jan. 10 at its station in the Keystone Corridor at Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said use of low-level platforms is a temporary measure because the current high-level boarding platforms are out of service due to construction at the station site.

The temporary platforms are located less than a half mile away from the previous location of 39 Station Avenue.

Westbound trains will board in the Suburban Square parking lot off Anderson Avenue while eastbound trains will board in the municipal parking lot located off Ardmore Avenue.

Groundbreaking Held for New Depot in Pennsylvania

Artists rendering of the planned new station in Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Oct. 22 in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, to mark the start of construction of a new passenger station.

The $65 million facility will serve Amtrak’s Keystone Corridor and commuter trains of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. It is expected to open in 2025.

It is being built east of the existing station, which has been closed for more than 25 years.

Officials said the original station is located on a curve, which precludes the establishment of ADA-accessible platforms.

The new Coatesville station will have 530-foot-long ADA-accessible high-level platforms with canopies and seating, elevators, ramps, site lighting and security, improved drainage, and surface parking.

Funding is being provided by the Federal Transit Administration ($52 million), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation ($13 million) and Chester County ($700,000).

Keystone Service Schedules Modified

Effective through April 16 Amtrak Keystone Service schedules will change due to construction along the route.

Train 664 will depart Harrisburg at 9:20 a.m., operating 10 minutes earlier from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

Train 611 will operate 20 minutes later from Ardmore to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 9:35 a.m.

Train 615 will operate 20 minutes later from Paoli to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 4:02 p.m.

Train 661 will depart 5 minutes earlier from Philadelphia and operate 15 minutes later from Ardmore to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 10:35 a.m.

Train 663 will depart 5 minutes later from Philadelphia and operate 25 minutes later from Ardmore to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 1:10 p.m.

Train 665 will depart 5 minutes later from Philadelphia and operate 25 minutes later from Ardmore to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 5:00 p.m.

Train 667 will operate 20 minutes later from Ardmore to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 7:05 p.m.

Train 669 will operate 20 minutes later from Ardmore to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 9:05 p.m.

Train 646will depart Harrisburg at 9:04 a.m., operating 5 minutes later from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

Train 666 will depart Harrisburg at 11:35 a.m., operating 15 minutes later from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

Train 652 will depart Harrisburg at 3:05 p.m., operating 10 minutes later from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

Train 620 will depart Harrisburg at 8:35 p.m., operating 5 minutes later from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

Train 605 will operate 10 minutes later from Coatesville to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 8:25 a.m.

Train 641 will operate 10 minutes later from Coatesville to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 10:56 a.m.

Train 645 will operate 10 minutes later from Coatesville to Harrisburg, arriving in Harrisburg at 3:45 p.m.

Passengers traveling on Trains 605, 641 and 645 will need to board on the normal eastbound platform at Coatesville and Parkesburg.

Keystone Service Slashed With Little Notice

With little advance notice Amtrak on Monday slashed Keystone Service in Pennsylvania, citing low patronage.

The state-funded service between New York and Harrisburg via Philadelphia was cut to seven weekday roundtrips with six on weekends.

Three of the roundtrips will operate between New York and Harrisburg while other trains will operate between Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

The new schedule boosts Harrisburg-New York service by one roundtrip.

Six roundtrips plus one additional westbound train have been suspended on weekdays. On weekends, three trains have been suspended.

An Amtrak announcement said the cuts were made “in order to adapt to changing demand.”

It was not the first change to Keystone Service since the COVID-19 pandemic intensified last March.

The service had been cut last spring when the New York-Pittsburgh Pennsylvanian also was suspended. The Keystone Service cuts and the Pennsylvanian were restored last June

Weekday trains will now depart Harrisburg for Philadelphia at 5, 6:40 and 8:59 a.m. and 12:05, 3:05, 4:30 and 8:35 p.m.

The 5, 8:59 and 3:05 trains continue to New York Penn Station, which Amtrak is now referring to as the Moynihan Train Hall.

Trains leave Philadelphia for Harrisburg at 5:20, 6:20, and 8:45 a.m. and 1:35, 3:45, 5:35 and 6:42 p.m. Trains leave New York for Harrisburg at 7:17 a.m. and 4:03 and 5:10 p.m.

The schedules and services of the Pennsylvanian are unchanged.

The weekend schedule has trains leaving Harrisburg for Philadelphia at 7:20, 9:30, and 11:35 a.m. and 2:05, 5:05 and 7:05 p.m. The 7:20, 9:30 and 2:05 trains run through to New York.

From Philadelphia to Harrisburg, trains leave at 7:25, 8:30 and 10:50 a.m. and 2:45, 4:55 and 6:55 p.m. rains leave New York for Harrisburg at 9:09 a.m. and 1:05 and 5:17 p.m.

News reports from Pennsylvania media quoted Amtrak spokeswoman Beth Toll as saying Amtrak is experiencing ridership that is 20 percent of what it was before the pandemic.

Railway Age reported that neither Amtrak nor the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation issued a news release in advance of the service cuts to announce the new schedules.

Instead, the intercity passenger carrier and PennDOT cooperated in issuing a service advisory on the morning that the cuts became effective.

The Railway Age report said it remains unclear whether PennDOT or Amtrak decided to made the service cut and when the decision was made.

Amtrak Keystone Line Signals Getting Upgrade

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is working with Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to upgrade signaling and train control systems between Paoli and Overbrook on the Keystone Line

The line extends from Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station to Harrisburg, and hosts Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian and Keystone Service trains.

Between Philadelphia and Thorndale, the line also hosts SEPTA’s Paoli-Thorndale regional rail services.

In a news release, Amtrak said the new equipment will “enable greater operational flexibility and higher operating speeds, as well as help reduce delays.

SEPTA obtained a $15.9 million federal grant last month that will make the signaling work possible.

Bill Would Give PennDOT Rail Line Ownership

A Pennsylvanian congressman has introduced a bill that would require Amtrak to to transfer ownership of the Keystone East Line between Harrisburg and Philadelphia to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

In a statement Rep. Lloyd Smucker said he introduced the bill, which calls for PennDOT to manage the line and certain stations, because of his disappointment with Amtrak’s management of the line.

The statement claimed that renovation and repair projects have been consistently delayed and over budget. 

“By granting Pennsylvania ownership of the Keystone Line, we can provide greater local control, accountability and expand ridership opportunities,”  Smucker said. 

The line also hosts Southeast Pennsylvania Transit Authority’s Paoli-Thorndale commuter-rail service.

SEPTA in a statement expressed support for the bill, saying it would create opportunities to improve service on the route, which is SEPTA’s highest ridership regional rail line.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives earlier unanimously adopted a resolution urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to transfer the line’s ownership to PennDOT. 

The line hosts two PennDOT-supported Amtrak services, the New York-Pittsburgh Pennsylvanian and Keystone Service between Harrisburg and New York via Philadelphia.

The state spends $100 million annually to support those services.

1 Keystone Roundtrip Extended to New York

A daily Amtrak Keystone Service roundtrip has been extended to New York.

Starting Oct. 5, Nos. 652 and 641 began operating between New York and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Amtrak said the schedule change now means there are two daily New York-Harrisburg roundtrips.

The route is also served by the New York-Pittsburg Pennsylvanian.

Other Keystone trains operate between Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The service is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Some Keystone Service had been suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Keystone Service schedule now reflects 13 weekday roundtrips and seven roundtrips on weekends.

In an unrelated development, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has begun phasing out the sale of paper ticket sales on its regional rail system. 

Passengers are being encouraged to use SEPTA’s Key Card, a contactless, reloadable fare card.

Paper tickets previously purchased are valid for up to 180 days from their purchase date.

New York-Harrisburg Keystone to be Restored

One New York-Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Keystone Service roundtrip will be restored on July 6.

The restoration is part of an ongoing restoration of service funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that began June 1.

All Pennsylvania-funded Amtrak service had been suspended on March 18 during the COVID-19 pandemic after the state imposed stay home orders.

The restored New York-Harrisburg trains include No. 640, which is scheduled to leave Harrisburg at 5 a.m. and No. 653, scheduled to depart New York at 5:10 p.m.

Modified Keystone Service that resumed on June 1 will continue operating between Harrisburg and Philadelphia. That includes nine weekday roundtrips and six weekend roundtrips.

In a news release, Amtrak cited increased travel demand for resuming New York-Harrisburg service.

The New York-Pittsburgh Pennsylvanian also resumed operating on June 1.