Ridership on Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian increased an average of 98 percent in the five months following a schedule adjustment that took effect February 10. March-July ridership for the Pennsylvanian was 64,230 in 2003, compared to 32,446 during the same period in 2002, making it the highest percentage increase of all Amtrak routes.
Prior to February 10, Amtrak ran the Pennsylvanian on a slower schedule between Philadelphia and Chicago to support the company’s Mail and Express operation, a program intended to generate additional revenue through the transport of freight cars connected to Amtrak trains. Amtrak president David L. Gunn announced last year that Amtrak would discontinue its Express operation to improve on-time performance and to end the program's financial losses.
On February 10, absent Express, Amtrak restored the Pennsylvanian to a daylight schedule between Pittsburgh and New York. At the time, Mr. Gunn said, “By returning the Pennsylvanian to its original, successful roots, we hope to better meet the needs of travelers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This train will run faster and in a better time slot."
Under the improved schedule, the eastbound Pennsylvanian departs Pittsburgh at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, enabling passengers to reach Philadelphia at 2:50 p.m. and New York at 4:43 p.m. On Sundays, the train departs Pittsburgh at 1:30 p.m., arriving in Philadelphia at 8:55 p.m. and New York at 10:50 p.m. On its previous schedule, the Pennsylvanian terminated in Philadelphia 9:15 p.m. nightly.
The improved westbound Pennsylvanian departs New York at 7:10 a.m. on weekdays (7:00 a.m. on weekends) with a scheduled 4:00 p.m. arrival in Pittsburgh. For passengers boarding at Philadelphia, the westbound train departs each morning at 8:45 a.m.
Passengers have their choice of coach or business class service, with the latter offering additional legroom, complimentary beverages, newspapers, and conference tables.
The train’s intermediate station stops between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia include Latrobe, Altoona, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, and Ardmore. New Jersey station stops include Newark, Metropark, Princeton Junction and Trenton.
The full Amtrak press release can be found here.
