Is Pennsylvania just...lame??

[Guest]

If PennDOT is going to spend money developing train routes for within PA, I really think the first need is to get the Lehigh Valley connected with passenger rail service. It is the third largest metropolitan area in PA, coming in just after Philly and Pittsburg, and therefore deserves such before many of the towns between HAR-PGH you all are talking about adding additional service to, here.

That should be the priority before PennDOT even thinks of expanding existing service.

At least initially, using mostly NS rails between Harrisburg, Reading, Emmaus, Bethlehem, into NJ, would be one reasonable way to start.

 

[Nickrapak]

PA is not lame. I used to live in Reading, and I will probably retire there because I just love the city because it is a) completely awesome and b) awesomely cheap. PennDOT's HQ, however, is probably pictured in the dictionary next to 'Lame'.

What part of Reading? My dad's from East Reading, and while I love going to the city every once in a while (Tack's cheesesteaks, soft pretzels from Bell Alley, and Crystal Palace hot dogs are some of my favorite foods), I can't imagine living there with the city in the condition it's in.

The natural route for a passenger train across Pennsylvania, nowadays, goes through State College, which attracts people from both sides of the state.

Unfortunately that's a real project requiring real money. It's quite feasible (there's old ROW).

There's no old ROW that could connect Philadelphia and Pittsburgh meeting in State College. The Nittany and Bald Eagle goes into Lemont, which is ~5 miles from State College, but the closest track to the east is in Burnham, which is down a 5-7% grade via highway, with no real alternative routing. You may be thinking about the old Lemont-Lewisburg ROW, but that would take you 50 miles in the opposite direction from Philadelphia.

 

[RRUserious]

With all the things this country "affords" (*cough* bank bailout*cough) why can't we afford things that are so useful to so many?

Cause the 1% and Corporations are Getting all the Money! The rest of us poor slubs can eat cake! :angry:

(For Example: Who can be against raising the Minimum Wage to $10.10 an Hour? The Greedy Old Party Can! (Thats a little over $20,000 a year! Most people couldn't live on that in the Cities!)

"Gang of Oligarchy Protectors"?

 

[Green Maned Lion]

What part of Reading? My dad's from East Reading, and while I love going to the city every once in a while (Tack's cheesesteaks, soft pretzels from Bell Alley, and Crystal Palace hot dogs are some of my favorite foods), I can't imagine living there with the city in the condition it's in.

Huh? The city is in great shape, its one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and I love it.

 

[PRR 60]

What part of Reading? My dad's from East Reading, and while I love going to the city every once in a while (Tack's cheesesteaks, soft pretzels from Bell Alley, and Crystal Palace hot dogs are some of my favorite foods), I can't imagine living there with the city in the condition it's in.

Huh? The city is in great shape, its one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and I love it.

Pretzel capital of the world!

 

[PRR 60]

What part of Reading? My dad's from East Reading, and while I love going to the city every once in a while (Tack's cheesesteaks, soft pretzels from Bell Alley, and Crystal Palace hot dogs are some of my favorite foods), I can't imagine living there with the city in the condition it's in.

Huh? The city is in great shape, its one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and I love it.

Pretzel capital of the world!

Oops, that's Hanover. Hmm, I'm not sure what Reading is?

 

[Barciur]

What part of Reading? My dad's from East Reading, and while I love going to the city every once in a while (Tack's cheesesteaks, soft pretzels from Bell Alley, and Crystal Palace hot dogs are some of my favorite foods), I can't imagine living there with the city in the condition it's in.

Huh? The city is in great shape, its one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and I love it.

One of the highest crime rates in the US, 2nd highest in the state (almost on par with Chester). I wouldn't call that "great shape".

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Crime rates are misleading.