Did Strasburg ever get their proposed Amtrak connection at Lehmann Place?

ryarger@rypn.org

> Did Strasburg ever get their proposed Amtrak
> connection at Lehmann Place?

As of the latest timetable Amtrak trains do not stop at Leaman Place. Closest station stops are Parkesburg to the east, and Lancaster to the west.

Amtrak Keystone Service Timetable

> As of the latest timetable Amtrak trains do
> not stop at Leaman Place. Closest station
> stops are Parkesburg to the east, and
> Lancaster to the west.

Some powers that be have been talking about this proposal since almost PRR days. The most recent "active" proposal I have heard of was when SEPTA was running trains west to Parkesburg on the former PRR main, they were forced at one point to run their trains all the way west to Leaman Place and even Lancaster to cross tracks for return movements. Local Amish leaders then made an offer to SEPTA and Amtrak to construct a station themselves to board these "phantom" SEPTA trains and ride to and from Philly, as well as somehow possibly allowing a cross-platform connection with the Strasburg. This was perhaps 10 years ago, and the point is now moot--Amtrak and SEPTA reopened another interlocking, as I recall, and of course there wasn't money in either Amtrak's or SEPTA's budget to fund an expansion of service.

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

> Did Strasburg ever get their proposed Amtrak
> connection at Lehmann Place?

The short answer is "no" -- the complete one is "not yet."

A few years ago, Pennsylvania DOT and Amtrak announced, with great fanfare, a $140 million plan to upgrade physical plant and service on the Harrisburg-Phila. line. This included completion of laying of welded rail, removal of the last four surviving highway grade crossings, rehab of AEM7s and Amfleet cars to be dedicated to Harrisburg service, and a number of new stations or parking facilities.

The latter included re-establishment of a station at Leaman Place Junction, not only to provide a connection with the Strasburg Rail Road, but also to accommodate commuter and local-passenger (notably including Amish) use. The stretch between Lancaster and Parkesburg, about 23 miles, is the longest segment of the 103-mile corridor to be without a local station or local service. Scores of farms still operate in that area of Lancaster County (they surround SRR on all sides), but suburbanization has created a population boomlet, and an Amtrak station would probably generate plenty of usage.

PennDOT came up with its half of the funding package for the plan, $70 million, but we all know what happened to Amtrak's "We're on a glide path to self-sufficiency" creative accounting myths under former Amtrak President George Warrington. Some work on this project has gone forward (a station will be added at Harrisburg International Airport, for example) but other parts of it have languished. In all likelihood, because of PennDOT's continued interest, it will eventually happen, but no one seems to be willing to guess how long it'll take.

In the meantime, not all railroad history in that area happens on the SRR, or at the RR Museum of Pa.
In some ways, the Philadelphia-Harrisburg line is in a time warp. Dispatching is still handled by open lineside towers (including State tower in Harrisburg, Cork tower in Lancaster, and Paoli tower in Paoli). And make sure to go buy an Amtrak ticket if you want to get in some miles of riding on stick rail at 70+ mph. Across North America and Western Europe, that's an experience that's becoming ever more rare as the days go by.

Dan Cupper
Harrisburg, Pa.

>And
> make sure to go buy an Amtrak ticket if you
> want to get in some miles of riding on stick
> rail at 70+ mph. Across North America and
> Western Europe, that's an experience that's
> becoming ever more rare as the days go by.

Dan,

I had the same thought when I saw the picture in Railpace this month of an Amtrak ribbon rail train working out of Harrisburg. Maybe a ride out to Hershey is on order... clickty-clack!

Rob

> I had the same thought when I saw the
> picture in Railpace this month of an Amtrak
> ribbon rail train working out of Harrisburg.
> Maybe a ride out to Hershey is on order...
> clickty-clack!

I took advantage of a special Amtrak was doing on the line and rode from Harrisburg to Paoli and return in February 2003.

The stick rail is noticably more bumpy, but I liked it.

~~~Lance

altoona_east@railfanusa.com

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Steve,

There is a Hershey shuttle connection to Amtrak at Harrisburg, so you ride the PRR to H'burg in all its stick rail glory.

Rob

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