Anyone hear anything new on the Lackawanna Cutoff? This "project" has been in the works for as long as I can remember and the Cutoff itself only took 3 years to plan, budget, build and operate!! I understand its a matter of getting the capital but come on already! What's the hold up?

I suspect that the situation is the same as it was when the idea first came up in the 1970s. Very simply, restoring the Lackawanna Cutoff primarily benefits Pennsylvania, and is thus a low priority for use of funds by New Jersey.

Art, I see your point in that the project will benefit PA, but it will benefit NJ as well by getting cars off NJ roads. I-80 and I-287 are just about parking lots during rush hours. Also, not everyone goes into New York to work now. I'm sure many commuters would have North Jersey destinations.

Things move slowly here in NJ, if they move at all. Three years to build, and three decades to rebuild, seem about right.

I wonder how long it will take to get the West Trenton and P'burg services up and running. Track, in service, is in place on those two lines right now.

While there is track in place from the current end of service at High Bridge to Phillipsburg, the last several miles would involve the former Lehigh Valley line which is a really busy NS route. The current thinking that I am hearing is to rebuild the abandoned Jersey Central line for the last 5 or 6 miles - thus making this yet another project involving new track.

In the 25 or so years that I've been following the drama of the Cut-Off the problem has been and remains that the project has not yet been able to reach critical mass in politicol terms. It has had various champions (Sen. Frank Lautenberg, Cong. Rod Frelinghiesen, NJ Assm.Alex DeCroce etc. etc.) at different times and a substantial amount of Federal money set aside in different now expired bills but its never gotten the support it needs at the State of NJ and Penn level, to get it actually going on the ground.
The Right of Way has been acquired on the NJ side by the State of NJ and nearly all the mileage on the Penn. side is active freight rr courtesy of State of Penn. money.
The critical question is whether it will ever generate the support needed at the State level on both sides of the Delaware river. If one watches the traffic on I-80 any weekday ones probable conclusion will be sooner or later it must happen!!
IMHO-Ross Rowland