—Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
A passenger train to Reading would be about as useful as a ferry boat over the Lehigh River.
Enough of this nonsense!
A few people in the Lehigh Valley have embarked on another mythical pursuit of passenger rail service.
Give it up.
I contend it won’t happen. For many reasons, mostly financial. It could be a $1 billion project, and would require annual subsidies.
Above all, it’s not needed. The thought of train service to Reading is ridiculous. There isn’t that much demand to go to Philadelphia, and a train to New York City would not be competitive with driving in, driving to a train in New Jersey, or taking a bus.
I commuted to New York, and still go in often. No commuters — the main revenue source of any train service — would switch to a train. The train study presented in March showed that trains would take considerably longer than current options.
Commuters live on the margin, and sometimes switch routes in hopes of saving three minutes. That may not seem like much, but a few more minutes with family can make a difference.
It’s all a crock, really. I’ve put forth the case against it earlier and won’t repeat it all.
So who wants a train?
1-Train buffs. These guys (and they are all guys) have loads of data and self-assurance and well they just know we need trains, trains and more trains.
2-People who go to see the Lion King once each year and “would like to take a train.”
3-Travelers who took a tea train in Wales or wherever. Well, surprise. There are short-line railroads in the area. Use them, don’t ask for a billion-dollar boondoggle.
4-Would-be rail riders who indulge in magical thinking. They think trains are never late, never stopped, really it’s just Nirvana on the tracks. Yes, the first bullet train in the U.S. will be in Allentown!
5-State officials who will pay lip service to the idea of a train, but no more than that.
Whoever in the Lehigh Valley who wants to talk about trains should talk to some New York City commuters.
The comparisons to Europe are pointless. I will point out later why.
So let’s give it up, make the best of what we have and push for better bus service. Buses can be clean-running, and the buses I’ve taken to NYC were about as comfortable as trains.
Move on.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 