Efforts to restore passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia took another step forward this week as the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority (SRPRA) and Amtrak signed a memorandum of understanding formalizing their partnership on the proposed rail corridor.
The agreement outlines how the two organizations will work together as plans move forward to reconnect Reading, Pottstown and Phoenixville with Philadelphia, New York and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor network.
Under the memorandum, SRPRA reaffirmed its intention to have Amtrak operate the proposed Reading–Philadelphia–New York passenger rail service. The authority said Amtrak was selected because of its existing operating resources in Philadelphia and the potential availability of federal funding for intercity passenger rail development.
“Amtrak is proud to partner with the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority to advance the potential restoration of passenger rail between Reading and Philadelphia,” said Nicole Bucich, Amtrak’s vice president of planning and state partnerships. “We look forward to the opportunity to reconnect communities like Reading to the Northeast Corridor and beyond, to support their economic and community development.”
The agreement also commits Amtrak to complete several key planning tasks during the second phase of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program at no cost to SRPRA. Those tasks include forecasting ridership, estimating revenue, and developing operating and maintenance cost estimates.
SRPRA said it has already begun preliminary work for Step 2 using in-house staff and personnel from the planning commissions of Berks, Montgomery and Chester counties. Current efforts include preparing a project management plan, developing a draft statement of purpose and need, analyzing preliminary route options, and creating public outreach plans.
Officials said completing this work before formally entering Step 2 is expected to shorten the overall timeline for that phase.
The memorandum also states that Amtrak is willing to continue working with SRPRA on future planning, including environmental documentation, final design and other activities needed before construction and passenger service can begin.
Once the project officially enters Step 2, additional work will include coordinating with Norfolk Southern on computer-based operations simulations, planning infrastructure improvements, estimating capital costs and expanding public outreach.
SRPRA Chair Marian Moskowitz, who also serves as a Chester County commissioner, called the agreement an important step toward restoring passenger rail service.
“This MOU is a major milestone in the Authority’s progress toward reintroduction of intercity passenger rail service in our region,” Moskowitz said. “We are grateful to Amtrak for their support, to all our stakeholders including the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and to our elected officials at all levels on both sides of the aisle who continue to help us advance this effort.”
