5 day forecast
Issue One: Amtrak in Pennsylvania
Share with others:
Keep the trains
Thank you for your Feb. 5 editorial "All Aboard: Pennsylvania Train Service Must be Maintained" regarding train service to the eastern part of Pennsylvania. My 85-year-old sister lives in Lancaster. I am 75, so the trains are our means of transportation. Although we both drive, it is in everyone's best interest if we stay off the turnpike!
As inconvenient as this would be for us, the Amish, Mennonite and student population would have a real problem. I don't think I have ever made a trip originating in Lancaster on which there has not been a fairly large number going to Indiana to some type of event. There are also students who are returning to St. Vincent College or various Pittsburgh schools.
Please keep the trains!
MARGIE WILLIAMS
Ben Avon
Extend, don't cut
I just traveled on Amtrak Feb. 5 to Harrisburg and, based on my experience, I fully support saving this line. Yes, it was slow, but it was cheaper than driving, I had Wi-Fi the entire way, the seats were comfortable and the food was better than on a bus, airplane or the stops on the turnpike.
The airport authority should consider ways to link up, maybe with free shuttles to and from our Downtown train station, to help funnel travelers from Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnston, Altoona and other places to Pittsburgh International Airport.
If the trains were faster, more frequent and timed to coincide with busy times at the airport, this could serve smaller Western Pennsylvania towns and build airport passenger traffic.
DON PELLEGRINO
Ross
Western Pa. ripoff
It would be extremely unfair to Western Pennsylvania citizens to cut Amtrak service to Pittsburgh ("End of the Line for Harrisburg Train?" Feb. 4). Pittsburghers can't compete for state consulting jobs or participate in committees that meet in Harrisburg because five hours of driving in each direction makes the trip difficult without an overnight stay. Philadelphia residents can get to Harrisburg for the day and return home at night. No wonder there is so little traffic on Amtrak from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg.
Give Western Pennsylvania equal service and the passenger load from the west would be comparable to the passenger load from the east, not only to Harrisburg, but to Philadelphia and New York as well.
CAROLYN SCHUMACHER
Squirrel Hill
First Published February 10, 2013 12:00 am
