Western Pennsylvanians for Passenger Rail (WPPR)

04/10/2026

This is what the new train will look like inside. Get a preview!

WASHINGTON — Amtrak unveiled Airo, its newest fleet addition, on Tuesday with a media tour that featured an in-depth look at the interior of the shiny, feature-filled trainset that’s slated to begin revenue service this summer on the Amtrak Cascades’ service in the Pacific Northwest. Before of...

04/10/2026

This is the type of train that will eventually be on the Pennsylvanian line.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Amtrak's first Siemens Airo Cascades trainset, led by power car No. 70001, made its first powered trip on the full 103-mile-long Keystone Corridor today (Thursday, April 9), with a round trip between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. It has tested on the Northeast Corridor between Was...

04/01/2026

Attached are an Amtrak press release and a station advisory about renovations to the Lewistown station starting April 7.

https://www.amtrak.com/alert/lewistown-station-undergoing-renovations.html

https://media.amtrak.com/2026/04/amtrak-to-begin-lewistown-station-renovations/

Amtrak is set to launch construction on substantial station and platform improvements at the Lewistown Station (LEW), which is served daily by the Pennsylvanian, a route financed primarily through funds made available by PennDOT.

03/27/2026

Attached is a Union Pacific press release which includes information about the Big Boy No. 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, East Coast tour which starts May 25 and ends July 29. The engine will be in Philadelphia on July 4 with an additional display day anticipated in Altoona. A detailed schedule of the eastern leg, including whistlestop locations, will be released in the near future.

Union Pacific Railroad, founded by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, unveiled its plans today to celebrate the United States, its amazing history and the people behind its unparalleled success story with two new locomotives and the first Big Boy steam tour to the East Coast in honor of America’s ...

03/16/2026

Construction is being done by Norfolk Southern (NS) for the Enola new main line and interlocking improvements (just west of Rockville Bridge), one of the four Early Action projects NS is doing to accommodate the second Pennsylvanian later this year. Regarding the other three, Johnstown West interlocking is complete and Lemoyne and Camp Hill are in the design process.

PennDOT, Amtrak, and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) are working together to support modification and expansion of the state-supported Pennsylvanian service between Pittsburgh and New York City from one to two daily trains in each direction. In order to mitigate train delays that would result from inc...

02/21/2026

Here is a nice article about the Pennsylvanian, although the picture is of the Alaska Railroad.

Skip the crowded airports and resorts this winter by taking a scenic Amtrak train ride from NYC to Pittsburgh. Explore frozen rivers, Amish farmland, and the stunning Allegheny Mountains along the way.

02/08/2026

Those interested in expanding passenger rail service in Pennsylvania have the opportunity Feb 19 to provide public comment on the Scranton - NYC passenger rail project.

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2026/02/05/public-input-sought-on-restoring-passenger-trains-between-scranton-nyc/?fbclid=IwY2xjawP0xo5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeBNGFWvcyACrizjiPXWQUal-dD9xjHeg7fY2J0Ax2x56vSJWobCC0gg-yeGc_aem_sOp_Ago7XBM83SKSNSV8qQ

The state Department of Transportation will host an online public meeting on Feb. 19 on the long-sought restoration of passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City.

02/02/2026

Nice article about the Pennsylvanian

The Amtrak Pennsylvanian train route travels from New York City to Pittsburgh, showcasing some of the most beautiful scenery in Pennsylvania.

01/18/2026

https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2026/01/15/overnight-train-chicago-pittsburgh-amtrak

A sleeper car, no TSA lines and surprisingly good Wi-Fi made this trip better than flying.

12/05/2025

I don't often agree with Brandon McGinley of the Post-Gazette, but he does have a valid point about the Pittsburgh Amtrak Station.

ABOARD THE PENNSYLVANIAN — It’s hard not to feel the pangs of faded glory taking the train east of Pittsburgh. The journey begins at what must...

11/21/2025

Attached is a Railway Age article about Norfolk Southern working with Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina to expand passenger rail service. Obviously for Pennsylvania it's regarding the second Pennsylvanian.

In addition to moving freight, Norfolk Southern (NS) has also “played an industry-leading role” in hosting new and existing passenger services, working with passenger rail partners to find solutions that “balance the needs of the company’s freight network and the customers it serves with tho...

11/07/2025

The Pennsylvanian had 236,000 riders in FY 2025, its highest figure since becoming a once daily Pittsburgh - New York train in March 2005. The chart below shows ridership numbers, taken from Amtrak reports, for the Pennsylvanian and Keystone trains for FY 2006 - 2025.

Pennsylvanian and Keystone Service Ridership FY 2006 - 2025

Year Pennsylvanian Keystones Total

2006 184,049 823,000 1,007,049
2007 180,140 988,454 1,168,594
2008 200,999 1,183,281 1,384,280
2009 199,484 1,215,785 1,415,269
2010 203,392 1,296,838 1,500,230
2011 207,422 1,342,507 1,549,929
2012 212,006 1,420,392 1,632,398
2013 218,917 1,466,504 1,685,421
2014 230,767 1,326,450 1,557,217
2015 231,720 1,359,615 1,591,335
2016 223,114 1,467,216 1,690,330
2017 221,000 1,506,000 1,727,000
2018 214,800 1,519,900 1,734,700
2019 215,100 1,576,000 1,791,100
2020 127,700 783,800 911,500
2021 128,500 394,300 522,800
2022 176,100 806,400 982,500
2023 192,700 1,106,300 1,299,000
2024 233,900 1,284,000 1,517,900
2025 236,000 1,330,300 1,566,300

Attached are pictures of the first Airo train, slated for use on the Cascades Seattle - Portland route, which was recently moved through Pennsylvania for testing on the Northeast Corridor. Airo trains are scheduled to replace the existing Amfleet cars on the Pennsylvanian and Keystone trains later this decade. Credit the pictures to Jack Pehowic (Mifflin, PA) and David Wohlwill (screenshot of Horseshoe Curve).