Amtrak has formalized its role in the proposed Reading passenger rail restoration, moving the Pennsylvania corridor into ridership, cost and infrastructure planning before its next federal development stage.

An Amtrak Northeast Regional train approaches North Philadelphia station under overhead wires.
An Amtrak Northeast Regional train approaches North Philadelphia station. Illustrative image; it does not depict the proposed Reading service. Photo: Lexcie / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Amtrak takes on forecasting at no cost to SRPRA

The July 15 agreement⁠ affirms the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority’s intention to use Amtrak as the operator and assigns the railway three tasks for the second federal planning step: ridership forecasting, revenue estimates, and operating and maintenance cost projections. Amtrak will perform the work at no cost to SRPRA and has already started.

The agreement does not approve construction or set an opening date. SRPRA has completed Step 1 of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program⁠ and is preparing for Step 2. Staff from the Berks, Montgomery and Chester county planning commissions are developing a project management plan, a draft statement of purpose and need, preliminary route options and outreach plans.

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First phase focuses on Reading to Philadelphia

The project’s published development plan⁠ calls for the initial phase to connect Reading, Pottstown and Phoenixville with Philadelphia. It outlines four to six daily round trips at launch, rising to approximately eight or more as ridership grows. Philadelphia would provide access to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and other destinations.

A direct one-seat service from Reading through Philadelphia to New York is identified as a later phase. SRPRA says that stage depends on completion of New York’s Gateway projects, around 2035, and the delivery of new Amtrak rolling stock.

Norfolk Southern tests and infrastructure planning come next

After formal entry into Step 2, the authority plans to work with Norfolk Southern on computer-based operations simulations. The study will also identify required infrastructure improvements, estimate capital costs and expand public outreach.

The resulting Service Development Plan must test the proposed railway’s operational and financial feasibility and address stations, access, conceptual engineering and long-term governance. SRPRA currently targets completion of this work in 2027 or 2028.

Under the MOU, Amtrak has also expressed willingness to support later environmental documentation and final design, but those terms have not yet been negotiated.

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