Western Pennsylvanians for Passenger Rail (WPPR)

10/14/2026

Advisories about Amtrak travel to/from Pittsburgh during the next few weeks......

Due to trackwork south of Washington Union Station, the Floridian has been cancelled east of Pittsburgh (to/from Washington and Florida) 10/17 - 10/25. Travel between Pittsburgh and Chicago will continue as scheduled.

Between now and 11/15, Amtrak is performing the final transfer of tracks and signals from the old Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River near Newark, NJ. This resulted in fewer trains operating to New York, including the number of weekday Keystone trains between Harrisburg and New York dropping from ten to five. Thus, the Pennsylvanian will likely be more crowded through then, so you may want to purchase tickets earlier than you originally planned.

10/07/2026

https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/news-and-media/newsroom/statewide/2026/second-daily-pennsylvanian-train-from-harrisburg-to-pittsburgh-t

Second Daily Pennsylvanian Train from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh to Begin Nov. 18

10/06/2026

At today's PennDOT media event at the Johnstown train station, Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll announced November 18 as the start date for the second Pennsylvanian. It's a great day for western PA passenger rail!

https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/news-and-media/newsroom/statewide/2026/second-daily-pennsylvanian-train-from-harrisburg-to-pittsburgh-t

09/24/2026

Based on the latest Amtrak Monthly Performance Report, through July, ridership on the Pennsylvanian in FY26 (198,800) remained ahead of the number during the same period in record-setting FY25 (196,800).

Also, attached is a Lewistown Sentinel editorial discussing the potential for greater tourism opportunities with the second train scheduled to start operating in mid-November.

Much of the talk about a second daily Pennsylvanian has centered on what it will mean for people who live here. It will give local passengers more options for reaching Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New York. But those trains run both ways. The schedule will tell us what is actually possib...

09/16/2026

Great September 11 editorial in the "Altoona Mirror". So true what the editorial says...

“Amtrak sets debut for second train” was the headline atop the Mirror’s Aug. 25 edition. However, there is much more to the story than that headline was able to communicate, and that includes the message that appeared beneath the headline: “Added Pennsylvanian route scheduled to start in Nov...

09/16/2026

The selection below is from today's "Your Daily Dose of Climate Hope". Hopefully, the Pennsylvanian line will get these new Amtrak cars sooner than later.

"Reasons For Hope

Source.
U.S. train service is about to improve! Amtrak is introducing 83 new Airo model trains, set to start their roll-out in fall 2026 with eight trains on a Washington-Oregon route and expand in 2027 to cover many more East Coast and Mid-Atlantic routes from South Carolina to Maine. The new trains should make rail service in the Northeast Corridor substantially more frequent!

The routes set to receive new Airo trains.
“It’s a win for the environment, it’s a win for the people that are sitting in traffic.

We definitely want more trains in Virginia.”

— Karina Romero, Virginia Passenger Rail Authority.

The Airos are diesel/electric hybrids, substantially cleaner than previous Amtrak models as well as being faster and with better amenities. They’re manufactured in the U.S. by Siemens, with over 3,500 parts made by nearly 100 suppliers across 31 states.

These new Airo models were paid for by funds from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — but the current White House is proposing severe cuts to America’s burgeoning train infrastructure. Their budget request for fiscal year 2027 would remove a shocking 82% of U.S. federal passenger rail funds!

Congress so far has rejected many such extremist sabotage attempts. In only one of several examples, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope just successfully launched in late August 2026 despite the White House’s attempts to defund it in 2025.

Source: Amtrak.
Amtrak has set ridership records for the past two years in a row, and these new Airo trains will make service even better — right when gas-powered cars are becoming an unaffordable drain on American households. Congress must protect America’s train infrastructure and transport affordability by voting to further expand Amtrak funding in upcoming budgets.

Tell Congress to support Amtrak funding!

08/25/2026

PA Gov. Shapiro today announced that the second daily Pennsylvanian will start operating in mid-November. Amtrak anticipates beginning ticket sales for the added train in October.

Gov. Shapiro Announces Expanded Pennsylvanian Train Service Will Begin in Nov.

08/20/2026

If you or anyone you know have a background in mechanical equipment repair, then this Amtrak Pittsburgh-based job posting might be of interest.

Carman Journeyman - 90411428 - Pittsburgh

08/12/2026

Here is an article about the anticipated benefits of a second Pennsylvanian and the renovated Huntingdon Station.

LEWISTOWN — Long before the Pennsylvanian reaches the ridgelines above the Juniata Valley, the platform at Huntingdon Station often fills with familiar faces. Students heading back to campus, workers making the long connection toward Pittsburgh, families traveling east for medical appointments or ...

08/06/2026

Amtrak's working hard to get the train stations along the Pennsylvanian route ready for the start of the SECOND Pennsylvanian! See how they've improved the Huntingdon Station.

Amtrak today announced completion of accessibility and customer experience improvements at Huntingdon Station (HGD), marking another milestone in the company’s commitment to providing a safer, more accessible, and welcoming travel experience for all customers.