RE: (erielack) NJ/PA - Environmental Assessment for Lackawanna Cutoff now available

["Gary R. Kazin" <gkazin_@_yahoo.com>]

- --- On Tue, 6/16/09, Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul) <paultup_@_alcatel-lucent.com> wrote:

> To: "EL Mail List" <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
> Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 8:28 PM
> > I understand the need for service to the Poconos because it's 
> > within commuting distance of NYC.  But what is the purpose of 
> > spending tons of money for train service to Scranton?  It's 
> > too far to commute and if someone from there wants to go to 
> > New York, they can take a bus.  Don't get me wrong, I love 
> > trains as much as anybody else in this group, but we just 
> > don't have the money for a line that would probably be
> > underutilized, to put it mildly.  

> Because the state of Pa. will be subsidizing that portion....

There are a few other considerations besides the fact that someone is willing to pay for the service.  One is that there really is no place short of Scranton to put a yard for overnight train storage, with the associated crew quarters, inspection facilities, and probable fuel facilities.

> And there *is* a market for that. Look at all the Martz
> buses on Route 80!

A lot of those Martz buses don't run all the way to Scranton, judging from the signs on the front (though they may deadhead on to the garage).  Martz schedules show more service to the Stroudsburgs and Mt Pocono than to Scranton.  Also, some trips on the schedule require more than one bus, as I often see two or three Martz buses close together in the I 80 traffic jams during the evening peak - the schedule shows up to THREE gates for the same departure time.

Then again, I wouldn't expect the trains to fill up at Scranton - there would be no room for anyone to board elsewhere in PA or NJ!

Gary R. Kazin
DL&W Milepost R35.7
Rockaway, New Jersey




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