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

From: "Gregory Botvinik" <botvinesq_@_optonline.net>

>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

Nonsense. People commute every day from Scranton and Wilkes Barre to NYC. If 
you don't think so, I strongly urge you to take a ride on commission-hour 
Martz buses to both points, and find out for yourself. See how many are on 
monthly passes. I think you'll find it's nearly everyone (except perhaps, 
yourself <g>.

As for fares, the round trip to Scranton is $76.25. But if you're traveling 
with two persons, it's $97.

Get a party of six together in NYC to visit Steamtown and ride the trolley, 
it's $28 each -- round trip -- same as NJT's round trip for Port Jervis.

There's alsi a one day round trip from Scranton/Wilkes Barre to NYC (good 
only on certain buses) it's $65 round trip for two people -- that's $32.50 
each, round trip.

I've written about this operation extensively in a previous post so I won;t 
get into the further particulars of the commute. But I'll add that the 6:15 
PM bus to Wilkes Barre on May 28 was full, and had every seat taken to DWG 
with about half off there and at Stroudsburg; of the remainder, several were 
off at Blakeslee, and the rest to Wilkes Barre; returning after the Rocky 
Glen program at the Lackawanna Historical Society at 6:30 PM (we were there 
for an Anthracite Symposium), the bus was mostly full leaving Stroudsburg, 
with a second coach added to handle the rest of the crowds returning to NYC. 
BTW -- our bus from WB-Scranton on Thursday night and Scranton to WB on 
Friday morning both had half a dozen local passengers in addition to those 
to/from NYC.

Frankly, I'd (a) rather take the train and (b) would rather take the train 
with a bar car (PM breakfast car (AM) <g>.

Thoughts that train service won't generate new traffic are misguided, or 
unfamiliar with the territory as it now exists -- and certainly unfamiliar 
with the vagaries of traffic on I-80 between, say, Bartonsville and 
Blairstown and Netcong-Parsippany <g>.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie
ELHS #1296 


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