For years, state Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont, has promoted the idea of re-establishing commuter rail service on a 23-mile stretch between Arnold and Pittsburgh.

	Bill Wade, Post-Gazette Passengers board the Colorado Railcar in Oakmont. Click photo for larger image.

Yesterday, Dermody took a ride on a sleek, red, dome-roofed railcar that he believes would fit into the plan.

"Isn't this great?" Dermody asked Russell Peterson of Allegheny Valley Railroad, as both men admired a demonstration car that visited Oakmont and New Kensington yesterday.

"The technology is a perfect fit," Peterson said, explaining that the Federal Railroad Administration allows the self-propelled railcars to share tracks with freight trains. Allegheny Valley Railroad owns the rail lines that would be used.

The railcar, designed and built by Colorado Railcar, is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit that is capable of pulling additional coaches.

On a sales promotion tour across the country though, the car is being pulled by a diesel locomotive instead of running on its own power.

Tom Janaky, Colorado Railcar vice president of sales and marketing, said that's because the cost of insuring the railcar to run on its own power on various rail lines would be prohibitive.

"It would cost $25,000 to $30,000 a day for insurance," he said.

He said the railcar that visited Oakmont and New Kensington yesterday already has been purchased by South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.

In south Florida, state and federal officials have launched a two-year demonstration plan to see how well the Colorado Railcars serve as commuter trains.

	Bill Wade, Post-Gazette Ryan Roseweir, 4 1/2, center, and Sam Campbell, 5, are mesmerized by the view through the Colorado Railcar's curved skylight windows as they travel next to the Allegheny River between Oakmont and the Barking neighborhood of Plum. Watching the boys is Ryan's dad, Jeff Roseweir, of Oakmont. Click photo for larger image.

Today, the railcar will be on display at the Amtrak station, Downtown, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. At 10:15 a.m., regional transit and elected officials will ride the car to Greensburg. Then it will continue across Pennsylvania, stopping in Johnstown, Altoona, Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

For about $25 million, Dermody estimated, the Allegheny Valley could have a small commuter rail system with two of the diesel multiple units, two coach cars and improvements along the existing line.

The single-level, self-propelled railcar gets about 2 miles per gallon when carrying 90 passengers and costs about $2.9 million. The demonstration model had a rest room and a service bar, but the company will build the cars to specific requirements of transit agencies.

"We don't need the bar," Dermody joked, though yesterday it was used to serve bottled water, juices, fruit and pastries to public officials and curious residents who took one of the short rides between Oakmont and the Barking section of Plum.

A $100,000 study done in 2000 and released by Westmoreland County government found that a commuter line would be feasible.

"It found no fatal flaws," Dermody said. The study found that it could run on privately owned Allegheny Valley Railroad lines between Arnold and the Strip District.

Officials now believe it can be linked to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where the Port Authority plans to build a new subway station as part of Light Rail Transit expansion.

Dermody said a second, more detailed study must be done before any government money can be allocated for the Allegheny Valley Commuter Rail project. He said $200,000 has been committed for the second study, but an additional $150,000 is needed. There are other unresolved issues.

"We need a transit authority to operate it," Dermody said.

The region has been without commuter train service since PATrain ended its Mon Valley run in 1989.