The Keystone Corridor is a Federal Railroad Administration

Federal Railroad Administration

The Federal Railroad Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation. The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966...

 (FRA) "designated high speed

High-speed rail in the United States

High-speed rail in the United States currently consists of one high-speed rail service: Amtrak's Acela Express runs on the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C...

 corridor" with a 349-mile (562 km) railroad line between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

 and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...

 with a top speed of 110 miles per hour (49.2 m/s) . As of November 1, 2006, the track from Lancaster

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...

 to Parkesburg

Parkesburg, Pennsylvania

Parkesburg is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,593 at the 2010 census. The Zip code is 19365.-History:...

 was upgraded to 110 mile per hour operation, with the section between Paoli

Paoli, Pennsylvania

Paoli is a census-designated place in Chester County near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated in portions of two townships: Tredyffrin and Willistown...

 and Philadelphia going through a similar upgrade (mainly to allow for 75 to 90 mph (33.5 to 40.2 ) operation) as part of a USD

United States dollar

The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

 $145 million project.

Amtrak currently runs two intercity rail services along the Keystone Corridor: the Harrisburg to New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 Keystone Service and the Pittsburgh to New York City Pennsylvanian

Pennsylvanian (Amtrak)

The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...

. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia,...

 (SEPTA) operates daily Paoli/Thorndale

Paoli/Thorndale Line

The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...

 commuter rail service between Philadelphia and Thorndale

Thorndale, Pennsylvania

Thorndale is a census-designated place in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,407 at the 2010 census. Thorndale is the commercial and administrative center of Caln Township. The community's main street is Business U.S. Route 30...

, serving the communities along the eastern part of line known as the "Main Line

Pennsylvania Main Line

The Main Line is an unofficial historical and socio-cultural region of suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, comprising a collection of affluent towns built along the old Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad which ran northwest from downtown Philadelphia parallel to Lancaster Avenue , a road...

."

The Broadway Limited

Broadway Limited

The Broadway Limited was the Pennsylvania Railroad's premier named passenger train, operating daily in each direction between New York City and Chicago, via North Philadelphia. It replaced its predecessors, the Pennsylvania Limited and the Pennsylvania Special...

, a train that operated between Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

 and New York, used the Keystone Corridor between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and the Northeast Corridor between Philadelphia and New York. Originally a Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania Railroad

The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

 train, this route was discontinued by Amtrak in 1995 but later restarted by the passenger rail company and renamed the Three Rivers. The Three Rivers was discontinued in 2005, eliminating direct, passenger rail service between Philadelphia and Chicago (Amtrak still operates Chicago to Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 service, but it uses the rail line west of Pittsburgh, with commuters wishing to travel to New York being required to switch to a Pennsylvanian train in Pittsburgh).

The tracks from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...

 are owned and maintained by Norfolk Southern (which acquired them from Conrail), and is the location of famous Horseshoe Curve

Horseshoe Curve (Pennsylvania)

Horseshoe Curve is a famous railroad horseshoe curve in central Pennsylvania, near Altoona in the United States. Called an "engineering marvel", it was completed in 1854 by the Pennsylvania Railroad...

 west of Altoona

Altoona, Pennsylvania

-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...

. The tracks between Harrisburg and Philadelphia are owned and maintained by Amtrak

Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

, and is the only part of the Keystone Corridor that is electrified. The tracks join the Northeast Corridor

Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...

 at Zoo Interlocking near the Philadelphia Zoo

Philadelphia Zoo

The Philadelphia Zoo, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874...

 and 30th Street Station

30th Street Station

30th Street Station is the main railroad station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the five stations in SEPTA's Center City fare zone. It is also a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast and Keystone Corridors...

.

In March 2011, it was announced that Pennsylvania had received a $750,000 grant from the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program to investigate extending high-speed electrified service from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.

Brief history

Until 1968 the line was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania Railroad

The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

's (PRR) main line. The part east of Dillerville

Dillerville, Pennsylvania

Dillerville is an extinct hamlet in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States.Dillerville was established between the Harrisburg and Manheim pikes, at the intersection of the Lancaster and Reading railroads....

, just west of Lancaster

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...

, was originally the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, part of the state-owned Main Line of Public Works

Main Line of Public Works

The Main Line of Public Works was a railroad and canal system built by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the 19th century. It ran from Philadelphia west through Harrisburg and across the state to Pittsburgh and connected with other divisions of the Pennsylvania Canal...

. From Lancaster west to Harrisburg, the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount Joy and Lancaster Railroad provided the rest of the line. Except for minor realignments, the Keystone Corridor runs along the same path.

In 1915, the PRR electrified the line from Philadelphia's former Broad Street Station

Broad Street Station (Philadelphia)

Broad Street Station at Broad & Market Streets was the primary passenger terminal for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1881 to the 1950s...

 to Paoli, then the west end of commuter service. Electrification west of Paoli to Harrisburg came in the 1930s, after the PRR successfully completed electrification

Railway electrification system

A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...

 on the present-day Northeast Corridor

Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...

 (New York-Washington, D.C. section). The total cost of electrification was over USD $200 million, which was financed by government-supported loans from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation

Reconstruction Finance Corporation

The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was an independent agency of the United States government, established and chartered by the US Congress in 1932, Act of January 22, 1932, c. 8, 47 Stat. 5, during the administration of President Herbert Hoover. It was modeled after the War Finance Corporation...

 and the Public Works Administration

Public Works Administration

The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...

.

A major rehabilitation was made in the 1950s, but passenger services again became unprofitable as they had become in the 1930s until World War II. The PRR could not afford to invest into money-losing projects as the company had shareholder obligations to meet, and this included a stable dividend. The result was dilapidated stations, slow, disjointed track conditions, and antiquated rolling stock which frequently broke down.

In 1968, the PRR merged with the New York Central to become Penn Central, which declared bankruptcy in 1970. In 1976, Amtrak took ownership of the line between Philadelphia and Harrisburg while Conrail (the merger of Penn Central, the Reading Company

Reading Company

The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...

, and several other Class I railroads) took ownership of the remaining part of the line and the many branches, both electrified and non-electrified, along it that the Penn Central had owned. Amtrak took over the express Harrisburg-New York intercity rail service in 1971, while Conrail, under SEPTA auspices, continued Harrisburg-Philadelphia commuter services until 1983, when SEPTA took over all commuter services and truncated operations to Parkesburg (later truncated in 1992 to Downingtown

Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Downingtown is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, west of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,891. Downingtown was settled by English and European colonists in the early 18th century and has a number of historic buildings and structures.-History:The town was...

, but later extended to Thorndale).

Penn Central made an agreement with the federal government to provide a high-speed service called the Metroliner, which upgraded the Northeast Corridor

Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...

 tracks between New York and Washington by 1969, but neglected other areas such as the Keystone Corridor, a lack of maintenance that continued after Amtrak's takeover in 1976. The Keystone Corridor eventually served as a "depository" for the problem-prone Metroliner electric multiple unit

Multiple unit

The term multiple unit or MU is used to describe a self-propelled carriages capable of coupling with other units of the same or similar type and still being controlled from one driving cab. The term is commonly used to denote passenger trainsets consisting of more than one carriage...

 cars. It also used the electric locomotive-hauled trains for Harrisburg-New York service. Before the introduction of Acela

Acela Express

The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...

electric high-speed service over the Northeast Corridor, and after facing a shortage of electric locomotives (both E60

GE E60

The GE E60 is a C-C electric locomotive made by GE Transportation Systems. The E60's were based on existing locomotives designed for freight service...

 and AEM-7

EMD AEM-7

The AEM-7 is a B-B electric locomotive that is used in the United States on the Northeast Corridor between Washington DC and Boston and the Keystone Corridor between Philadelphia and Harrisburg in Pennsylvania. They were built by Electro-Motive Division from 1978 to 1988...

 models), Amtrak used GE Genesis

GE Genesis

GE Genesis is a series of passenger locomotives produced by GE Transportation Systems, a subsidiary of General Electric...

 diesel locomotives between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, with an engine change to an electric (usually AEM-7) locomotive at 30th Street Station

30th Street Station

30th Street Station is the main railroad station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the five stations in SEPTA's Center City fare zone. It is also a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast and Keystone Corridors...

. Because of this, higher ticket prices, and competition from SEPTA, ridership declined.

The line between Philadelphia and Lancaster was four tracks until the 1960s, when the PRR removed two of the tracks. The line is now two tracks from Paoli to Harrisburg, save for a three-track section between the Glen and Park interlockings, and a four-track section between the Downs and Thorn interlockings.

As of 2004, most of the track was limited to a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour (31.3 m/s) , except for a few 90 mile per hour (145 km/h)) sections between Downingtown and Lancaster. There are also curves which require slower speeds (especially in the section between Merion

Merion, Pennsylvania

Merion Station is an unincorporated community in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is contiguous to Philadelphia and is also bordered by Wynnewood, Narberth, and Bala Cynwyd...

 and Overbrook), and speed restrictions within interlocking limits.

High-speed corridor

In 1999, the Keystone Corridor was formally recognized as a "designated high speed corridor" by the FRA, as part of the TEA-21 transportation bill. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will fund half of the project's costs, and Amtrak will fund the other half.

The goals of this project include:

• 90-minute travel time between Harrisburg and Philadelphia on express trains
• 105-minute travel time on normal trains
• Raising track speed to 110 miles per hour (49.2 m/s) where possible
• Increasing the number of daily round trips from 11 to 14
• Replacing diesel trains with electric on Keystone service

A summary appears in an FRA report.

Construction on the USD $145,000,000 project began on March 7, 2005 and was completed in Fall, 2006. Amtrak's press releases have summarized the improvements as:

• Installation of 80 track miles (128 km) of new concrete ties
• Installation of more than 40 new track switches
• A new signal system between Lancaster and Harrisburg
• Upgrade of 16 existing bridges and culverts
• Upgrade of overhead electrical wires (catenary)
• Upgrade of electrical substations to support use of electric locomotives.

The installation of concrete ties also included replacement of the old jointed rail with new continuous welded rail (136 RE), track surfacing, and alignment. Track surfacing is adjusting the vertical profile of the two rails, leveling the rails on straight track and introducing superelevation (banking) in curves. The 80 miles (128.7 km) are broken down as: on track 4 from Park (Parkesburg) to Cork (Lancaster) interlockings on track 1 from Cork (Lancaster) to Park (Parkesburg) interlockings on track 3 from Paoli to Overbrook on track 2 from Overbrook to Paoli

Amtrak replaced the signal and communications system and rebuilt the overhead catenary wire and upgraded electrical substations to provide the power needed to operate several electric trains simultaneously on this line. Since October, 2006, Amtrak, having sufficient Acela high-speed trainsets, started using electric push-pull trainsets for the first time since the mid-1990s. Using AEM7 locomotives and former Metroliner m.u. coaches modified into a push-pull cab-coach (with the locomotive "pulling" westbound trains and "pushing" eastbound), the electrified service is currently used on the Harrisburg-New York Keystone service, while the Genesis diesel locomotive

Diesel locomotive

A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...

s are still used for the Pittsburgh-New York Pennsylvanian service. Like the Northeast Corridor

Northeast Corridor

The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...

, Amtrak trains use, between Paoli and Overbrook, the high-speed inner rails for normal operations.

Three at-grade crossings with roads remain as of 2009, and all three will be eliminated in a separate project. In July 1999, PennDOT budgeted USD $9 million for this project to eliminate all three crossings; however, these funds were later used for other projects. One of the crossings is in Elizabethtown

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census,...

 and another in Mount Joy

Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

Mount Joy is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,765 at the 2000 census.-Name and origin:Mount Joy is often named in lists of "delightfully-named towns" in Pennsylvania Dutchland, along with Intercourse, Blue Ball, PenisPallooza, Amish Land, Dick-in-Hand...

. The third, between Mount Joy and Lancaster, has been blocked off using fencing and jersey barrier

Jersey barrier

A Jersey barrier or Jersey wall is a modular concrete barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to both minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing crossover in the case of head-on accidents....

s. Additional funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...

 will be used to complete the elimination of all three at-grade crossings in 2010.

Construction progress

The four-track section between Overbrook and Paoli is numbered sequentially from the southernmost track (number 1 track) to the northernmost track (number 4 track).

Between March 7 and June 27, 2005, Amtrak worked on the number 4 track between Lancaster and Parkesburg, and from June 27 to September 2, 2005, they worked on number 1 track. A work gang with a track laying system (TLS) installed concrete crossties, new continuous welded rail, and new ballast, allowing for 110 miles per hour (49.2 m/s) . The track layout at Lancaster station was simplified so that trains no longer have to take a diverging route to access the station platforms. Because tracks 2 and 3 have been removed, tracks 1 and 4 are the only tracks in this section.

Between October 3, 2005 and mid-December, Amtrak worked on the number 2 track from Paoli to a point between Narberth and Merion stations. On March 20, 2006, Amtrak started working on the number 3 track, starting within Paoli interlocking and working east towards Overbrook. As of April 6, 2006, a track laying system (TLS) has completed work to approximately milepost 16.7. 110-mph service started on October 30, 2006 following completion of a $145 million upgrade of the 104-mile line. Push-pull express trains will cut journey time from the current two hours to 90 minutes. Local service will improve to 105 minutes. Three weekday and two weekend roundtrips will be added as well.

Current passenger services

The busiest part of the Keystone Corridor is the segment between Harrisburg and New York City with multiple trains per day.

The following Amtrak rail lines serve Keystone Corridor stations:

• Capitol Limited - to/from Chicago
  Chicago
  Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
  
   and Washington D.C..
• Keystone Service - local service along the Northeast Corridor
  Northeast Corridor
  The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
  
   to Philadelphia, and along the Keystone Corridor to/from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
  
  . Timings vary by day of the week in each direction, and some trains terminate at and start from Philadelphia.
• Pennsylvanian
  Pennsylvanian (Amtrak)
  The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
  
  - to/from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
  
   along the Northeast Corridor
  Northeast Corridor
  The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
  
   and Keystone Corridor.

Commuter rail

SEPTA Regional Rail operates commuter rail service on the Keystone Corridor between 30th Street Station and Thorndale

Thorndale, Pennsylvania

Thorndale is a census-designated place in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,407 at the 2010 census. Thorndale is the commercial and administrative center of Caln Township. The community's main street is Business U.S. Route 30...

 as the Paoli/Thorndale Line

Paoli/Thorndale Line

The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...

 service. The line, through efforts from PA Congressman Jim Gerlach

Jim Gerlach

James "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :...

 (R-PA 6) and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is the metropolitan planning organization for the Delaware Valley. Created in 1965 by an interstate compact, DVRPC is responsible for transportation and regional planning in the greater Philadelphia area.-History:The first evidence of regional...

, may be extended back to Parkesburg and even further to Atglen

Atglen, Pennsylvania

Atglen is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,406 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Atglen is located at ....

 in the future. The current Cynwyd Line

Cynwyd Line

The Cynwyd Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Cynwyd in Montgomery County.Originally known as the Ivy Ridge Branch, service was truncated on October 25, 1986 from Ivy Ridge to its current terminus at Cynwyd....

 service (and the proposed Schuylkill Valley Metro

Schuylkill Valley Metro

The Schuylkill Valley Metro was a proposal for a 62-mile railway system that would link Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the city of Reading, Pennsylvania in central Berks County, USA, using the SEPTA Manayunk/Norristown Line and Cynwyd Line, as well as two current freight-only rights-of-way owned...

 service to Reading

Reading, Pennsylvania

Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...

) also uses the line between 30th Street Station and the Valley interlocking, which may be reconfigured to eliminate a deteriorating truss bridge. A project to bring commuter rail service between Harrisburg and Lancaster called CorridorOne

CorridorOne

Capital Red Rose Corridor, formerly known as Corridor One , is a commuter rail system proposed in South Central Pennsylvania, United States which will link Harrisburg and Lancaster. Future corridors are being planned to extend commuter rail service to Carlisle, Hershey, Lebanon, York, and...

 is in the early stages of planning.

SEPTA's capital budget for fiscal year 2006 describes on page 54 "R5 Paoli Line Improvements – Amtrak," a USD $80,594,000 project coordinated with the Amtrak project. SEPTA's focus will be to improve tracks 1 and 4 between Zoo and Paoli interlockings. Tracks 1 and 4 are primarily used by SEPTA. SEPTA's portion includes:

• Installation of 85,000 concrete crossties, track surfacing, and alignment
• Replacement of jointed rail with continuous welded rail
• Upgraded signal and communication systems
• Replacement of Bryn Mawr interlocking tracks
• Reconfiguration and replacement of Paoli interlocking tracks
• Improvements to pedestrian underpasses and ROW retaining walls

Freight service

Norfolk Southern operates overnight freight service between the western junction of the Trenton Cut-Off (a former Penn Central electrified "through-freight" line) and just west of Parkesburg

Parkesburg, Pennsylvania

Parkesburg is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,593 at the 2010 census. The Zip code is 19365.-History:...

 via trackage rights

Trackage rights

Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....

, mainly supplying the Mittal

Mittal

Mittal was once an enormous worldwide steel company before merging to create ArcelorMittal.Mittal is a gotra in the Agrawal community in India that is often used as a family name...

 steel plate manufacturing plant in Coatesville

Coatesville, Pennsylvania

Coatesville is the only city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,100 at the 2010 census. Coatesville is approximately 39 miles west of Philadelphia....

. Norfolk Southern also operates a major freight classification yard

Classification yard

A classification yard or marshalling yard is a railroad yard found at some freight train stations, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. First the cars are taken to a track, sometimes called a lead or a drill...

 at Harrisburg's West Shore (Enola

Enola, Pennsylvania

Enola is a census-designated place located along the Susquehanna River in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,627 at the 2000 census. Norfolk Southern operates Enola Yard, a large rail yard and locomotive shop in Enola...

). Two other electrified through-freight lines, the Atglen and Susquehanna Branch

Atglen and Susquehanna Branch

The Atglen and Susquehanna Branch is an abandoned branch line of the Pennsylvania Railroad.-History:The Atglen and Susquehanna Branch was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad between 1902 and 1906. The branch was built to relieve congestion on the Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line and the...

 (a.k.a. the Low-Grade Line) and the Philadelphia and Thorndale Branch, were abandoned by Conrail before its purchase by Norfolk Southern, with NS still maintaining the Low-Grade Line due to the catenary poles servicing the Keystone Corridor between Lancaster and Middletown

Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, nine miles southeast of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

, while the former has been looked at by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is the metropolitan planning organization for the Delaware Valley. Created in 1965 by an interstate compact, DVRPC is responsible for transportation and regional planning in the greater Philadelphia area.-History:The first evidence of regional...

 as a possible "Cross-County Metro" project connecting Thorndale with Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...

. Although there is electrified service on portions of the line all freight traffic is served using diesel locomotives.

Stations and interlockings

See Keystone Service

Keystone Service

Amtrak's Keystone Service provides frequent passenger train service along the Amtrak-owned Keystone Corridor and Northeast Corridor between the Harrisburg Transportation Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Station in New York via 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. It is...

 for more information

Key

• (M) – Block and Interlocking Station (Manned)
• (T) – Temporary Block Station
• (X) – Interlocking
• (D) – DCS Block Limit
• R- – Remote Control From
• (Line Name) – Interchange with

Milepost	Station	City	Amtrak	SEPTA	Notes
0.0	Suburban Station	Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...		|All
1.0	30th Street Station 30th Street Station 30th Street Station is the main railroad station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the five stations in SEPTA's Center City fare zone. It is also a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast and Keystone Corridors...		AE Acela Express The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...  CD CL Carolinian -Languages:*The Carolinian language, an Austronesian language spoken in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean-People:*A person from the Carolinas...  CS Crescent (Amtrak) The Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns, on the same route, as train 20. Most of the route of...  KS NR PA Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...  PL Palmetto (Amtrak) The Palmetto is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak over the from New York City south to Savannah, Georgia via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via Richmond, Virginia, Fayetteville, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina...  SM Silver Meteor The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South...  SS VT Vermonter Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....	All	New Jersey Transit New Jersey Transit The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...  Atlantic City Line Atlantic City Line The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading... , all SEPTA commuter rail lines
1.9	ZOO				(M)(X)(D) (SEPTA Main Line, Amtrak NEC)
3.5	STILES				(X)(D) R-ZOO Tracks 2 and 4 only
4.0	VALLEY				(X)(D) R-OVERBROOK (SEPTA Cynwyd line) Tracks 1 and 2 only
4.1	PAXON				(X)(D) R-ZOO Track 4 only
5.1	WOODBINE				(X)(D) R-ZOO Track 4 only
5.4	Overbrook Overbrook (SEPTA station) Overbrook Station is an above-ground commuter rail station located in Overbrook at the edge of the City of Philadelphia at 63rd Street and City Line Avenue...			|Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...	(M)(X)(D)
6.0	Merion Merion (SEPTA station) Merion Station is an above-ground commuter rail station located just outside of the City of Philadelphia atIdris Road & Hazelhurst Avenue,Merion, Pennsylvania 19066. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains with the exception of a few express runs. The station is located in a residential...	Lower Merion Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania Lower Merion Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and part of the Pennsylvania Main Line. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 57,825...		|Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
6.8	Narberth Narberth (SEPTA station) Narberth Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at Haverford and Narberth Avenues in Narberth, Pennsylvania...	Narberth Narberth, Pennsylvania Narberth is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,282 at the 2010 census.-History:Narberth is located on a parcel of land originally deeded to Edward Rees , who arrived from Wales in 1682. A portion of this original tract became the farm of Edward R...		|Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
7.4	Wynnewood Wynnewood (SEPTA station) Wynnewood Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atWynnewood and Penn Roads in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania...	Wynnewood Wynnewood, Pennsylvania Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is a suburban community located outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne, William Penn's physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
8.5	Ardmore Ardmore (SEPTA station) Ardmore Station is an above-ground commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at Anderson and Coulter Avenues in Ardmore, Pennsylvania...	Ardmore Ardmore, Pennsylvania Ardmore is a census-designated place in Delaware and Montgomery counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 12,455 at the 2010 census...	Keystone Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in... (train 44, Sunday eastbound only)	Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
9.1	Haverford Haverford (SEPTA station) Haverford Station is an above-ground commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at Haverford Station Road in Haverford, Pennsylvania...	Haverford Haverford, Pennsylvania Haverford is an unincorporated community located partially in Haverford Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA, but primarily in Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County, about west of Philadelphia. It is on the Main Line, which is known historically for its wealth. As of August 2009,...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
10.1	Bryn Mawr Bryn Mawr (SEPTA station) Bryn Mawr Station is an above-ground commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at Morris and Bryn Mawr Avenues in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains with the exception of a few "limited" and express trains.The ticket office at this...	Bryn Mawr Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Bryn Mawr from Welsh for "big hill") is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...	(X)(D) R-PAOLI
10.9	Rosemont Rosemont (SEPTA station) Rosemont Station is an above-ground commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at Airdale Road and Montrose Avenues in Rosemont, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....	Rosemont Rosemont, Pennsylvania Rosemont is a community in Pennsylvania on the Pennsylvania Main Line lying partly in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania and partly in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania.Part of the geographic area is served by the Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, ZIP code...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
12.0	Villanova Villanova (SEPTA station) Villanova Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at North Spring Mill Road near County Line Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....	Radnor Radnor Township, Pennsylvania Radnor Township is a township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 30,878. Radnor Township lies along the Main Line, a collection of highly affluent Philadelphia suburbs....		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
13.0	Radnor Radnor (SEPTA station) Radnor Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia in Radnor, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....			Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
13.7	St. Davids St. Davids (SEPTA station) St Davids Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atChamounix Road & Glynn Lane, Wayne, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....			Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
14.5	Wayne Wayne (SEPTA station) Wayne Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atNorth Wayne Avenue & West Avenue, Wayne, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....			Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
15.4	Strafford Strafford (SEPTA station) Strafford Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atOld Eagle School Road and Crestline Road, Strafford, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....	Tredyffrin Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania Tredyffrin Township + Dyffryn ) is a township located in eastern Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 29,332 at the 2010 census. Originally settled in the late 17th century, Tredyffrin is bounded by Delaware and Montgomery counties...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
16.4	Devon Devon (SEPTA station) Devon Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atStation Road and North Waterloo Road in Devon, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....	Easttown Easttown Township, Pennsylvania Easttown Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,477 at the 2010 census.-History:The land that eventually became Easttown Township was once part of the Welsh Tract, a large expanse of land promised by William Penn to a group of Welsh Quaker...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
17.5	Berwyn Berwyn (SEPTA station) Berwyn Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atCassatt Avenue & Lancaster Pike, Berwyn, PA. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....			Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
18.6	Daylesford Daylesford (SEPTA station) Daylesford Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at Glenn Avenue and Lancaster Avenue in Daylesford, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains.-Station site:...	Tredyffrin Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania Tredyffrin Township + Dyffryn ) is a township located in eastern Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 29,332 at the 2010 census. Originally settled in the late 17th century, Tredyffrin is bounded by Delaware and Montgomery counties...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
19.9	Paoli Paoli (SEPTA station) Paoli Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at13 Lancaster Avenue , Paoli, Pennsylvania. It is served by Amtrak's Keystone Service and Pennsylvanian trains, and most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains. The station has a waiting room and a coffee shop.The SEPTA...	Paoli Paoli, Pennsylvania Paoli is a census-designated place in Chester County near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated in portions of two townships: Tredyffrin and Willistown...	Keystone Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...	Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...	(M)(X)(D)
21.6	Malvern Malvern (SEPTA station) Malvern Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at West King Road and North Warren Avenue, Malvern, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....	Malvern Malvern, Pennsylvania Malvern is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census. The main road through the borough is King Street, although the borough is also bordered by Paoli Pike on the south, and is near US 30 on the north. The primary cross street is Warren...		Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
23.9	FRAZER				(X)(D) R-THORN
25.5	GLEN				|(X)(D) R-THORN (NS Dale Secondary) Tracks 1 and 2 only
27.5	Exton Exton (SEPTA station) Exton Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia atWalkertown Road, Exton, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Amtrak Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian , and Paoli/Thorndale Line trains....	Exton Exton, Pennsylvania Exton is a census-designated place in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its population was 4,842 at the 2010 census. The Exton Square Mall is located within Exton along with several other shopping centers, making Exton the major shopping district in Chester...	Keystone Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in... (trains 42 & 44, Monday-Saturday and Sunday eastbound only)	Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
28.3	Whitford Whitford (SEPTA station) Whitford Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at South Whitford Road and Spackman Lane, Exton, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Paoli/Thorndale Line trains.-The Whitford Flyover:...			Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
32.1	DOWNS	Downingtown Downingtown, Pennsylvania Downingtown is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, west of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 7,891. Downingtown was settled by English and European colonists in the early 18th century and has a number of historic buildings and structures.-History:The town was...			|(X)(D) R-THORN
32.4	Downingtown Downingtown (SEPTA station) Downingtown Station is a commuter rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at West Lancaster Avenue & Stuart Avenue in Downingtown, Pennsylvania...		|Keystone Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...  (train 44, Sunday eastbound only)	Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
35.0	THORN	Thorndale Thorndale, Pennsylvania Thorndale is a census-designated place in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,407 at the 2010 census. Thorndale is the commercial and administrative center of Caln Township. The community's main street is Business U.S. Route 30...			(M)(X)(D)
35.5	Thorndale Thorndale (SEPTA station) Thorndale Station is a commuter rail station located in the Chester County, Pennsylvania at South Bailey Road and East Lincoln Highway , Thorndale, Pennsylvania. It is served by SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line...			|Paoli/Thorndale Paoli/Thorndale Line The Paoli/Thorndale Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line running from Center City Philadelphia to Thorndale in Chester County.-Route:This branch utilizes one of the oldest sections of what is now Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, an electrified 104-mile two to four-track high-speed route between Harrisburg...
36.6	CALN				|(X)(D) R-THORN Track 1 and 2 only.
38.4	Coatesville Coatesville (Amtrak station) Coatesville Station is an Amtrak rail station located in the far western suburbs of Philadelphia at Third Avenue and Fleetwood Street in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Amtrak Keystone Service trains....	Coatesville Coatesville, Pennsylvania Coatesville is the only city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,100 at the 2010 census. Coatesville is approximately 39 miles west of Philadelphia....	Keystone
43.9	PARK	Parkesburg Parkesburg, Pennsylvania Parkesburg is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,593 at the 2010 census. The Zip code is 19365.-History:...			(M)(X)(D) Open as Needed
44.2	Parkesburg Parkesburg (Amtrak station) Parkesburg Station is an Amtrak rail station located between Lancaster and Philadelphia at West First Avenue and South Culvert Street in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania...		|Keystone
		Paradise Paradise, Pennsylvania Paradise is a census-designated place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States with a zip code of 17562. The population was 1,028 at the 2000 census....			|planned future station which will connect with the historic Strasburg Rail Road Strasburg Rail Road The Strasburg Rail Road is a heritage railroad located near Strasburg, Pennsylvania. It operates excursion trains hauled by steam locomotives in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.Across the street lies the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania...
57.0	LEAMAN				(X)(D) R-CORK
67.0	HOLLAND				(X)(D) R-CORK Track 4 only (NS New Holland Industrial)
67.9	CONESTOGA				(X)(D) R-CORK
68.0	Lancaster Lancaster (Amtrak station) Lancaster Station is an Amtrak railway station and intercity bus facility located at 53 McGovern Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The station is located at the north end of the city, roughly a mile from downtown Lancaster....	Lancaster Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...	Keystone Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
68.1	CORK				(M)(X)(D) (NS Columbia Secondary)
70.0	LITITZ				(X)(D) R-CORK Track 2 only (NS Lititz Secondary)
80.1	Mount Joy Mount Joy (Amtrak station) Mount Joy Station is an Amtrak rail station located about 13 miles northwest of Lancaster, Pennsylvania at East Henry Street and North Market Street in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Amtrak Keystone Service trains....	Mount Joy Mount Joy, Pennsylvania Mount Joy is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,765 at the 2000 census.-Name and origin:Mount Joy is often named in lists of "delightfully-named towns" in Pennsylvania Dutchland, along with Intercourse, Blue Ball, PenisPallooza, Amish Land, Dick-in-Hand...	Keystone
83.4	RHEEMS				(X)(D) R-STATE
86.8	Elizabethtown Elizabethtown (Amtrak station) Elizabethtown is an Amtrak railroad station on the Keystone Corridor in Elizabethtown, Lancaster County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The station is served by Amtrak's Keystone Service between New York City and Harrisburg, and by the Pennsylvanian between New York and Pittsburgh...	Elizabethtown Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania Elizabethtown is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census,...	Keystone Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
94.5	ROY	Middletown Middletown, Pennsylvania Middletown is the name of more than one location in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania: 17057, of the Harrisburg metropolitan area*Middletown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania: 18017...			(X)(D) R-STATE (NS Royalton Branch)
94.7	Middletown Middletown (Amtrak station) Middletown Station is an Amtrak railroad station on the Keystone Corridor in Middletown, Dauphin County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The station is served by Amtrak's Keystone Service between New York City and Harrisburg.- Services and facilities :...		Keystone
		Harrisburg International Airport Harrisburg International Airport -Statistics:-Air cargo:Harrisburg International Airport is well positioned with freight-forwarding capabilities. The airport is located adjacent to I-76 , I-83, and I-81, allowing for fast air-to-ground transfer of goods and commodities...			A station to serve the airport is to be located west of the existing Middletown station
104.4	STATE	Harrisburg Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...			(M)(X)(D)
104.6	Harrisburg Harrisburg Transportation Center The Harrisburg Transportation Center is a large railway station and transportation hub in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is located on the eastern edge of Downtown Harrisburg between the intersections of Aberdeen and Market Streets and 4th and Chestnut Streets...		Keystone Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...		End of electrification.
164.6	Lewistown Lewistown (Amtrak station) Lewistown Station is an Amtrak railway station located about 60 miles northwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at PA Route 103 and Helen Street in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. The station is actually located across the Juniata River from Lewistown proper, a little less than one mile south of the center of...	Lewistown Lewistown, Pennsylvania Lewistown is a borough in and the county seat of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies along the Juniata River, northwest of Harrisburg. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census,...	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
195.6	Huntingdon Huntingdon (Amtrak station) Huntingdon Station is an Amtrak railway station located approximately 95 miles northwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and 30 miles east of Altoona, Pennsylvania at 4th and Allegheny Streets in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania...	Huntingdon Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Huntingdon is a borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Huntingdon County. It is located along the Juniata River, west of Harrisburg, about halfway between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, in an agricultural and fruit-growing region, with valuable forests and deposits of...	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
225.6	Tyrone Tyrone (Amtrak station) Tyrone Station is an Amtrak railway station located approximately 15 miles northeast of Altoona, Pennsylvania on Pennsylvania Avenue south of West 10th Street in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. The station is located in the south end of the borough...	Tyrone Tyrone, Pennsylvania Tyrone is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Altoona, on the Little Juniata River. Tyrone was of considerable commercial importance in the twentieth century. It was an outlet for the Clearfield coal fields, and it was noted for the manufacture of paper products. There were...	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...		Flag Stop
240.6	Altoona Altoona Transportation Center The Altoona Transportation Center is an intermodal passenger facility built in 1986 providing local bus, intercity bus, and rail services. It is located at 1231 11th Avenue in downtown Altoona, Pennsylvania....	Altoona Altoona, Pennsylvania -History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
282.0	Johnstown Johnstown (Amtrak station) Johnstown Station is an Amtrak railway station located at 47 Walnut Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States. The station is located north of downtown Johnstown across the Little Conemaugh River. Johnstown station is currently only served by Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, which operates once daily...	Johnstown Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
309.0	Latrobe Latrobe (Amtrak station) Latrobe Station is an Amtrak rail station located about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh at 329 McKinley Avenue, Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The station is near the center of the city, and is currently served only by Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, which operates once per day in each direction...	Latrobe Latrobe, Pennsylvania Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...		Flag Stop
319.0	Greensburg Greensburg (Amtrak station) Greensburg Station is an Amtrak railway station located approximately east of Pittsburgh at Harrison Avenue and Seton Hill Drive in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The station is located just north of the city center, and is currently served only by Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, which operates once per day in...	Greensburg Greensburg, Pennsylvania Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...	Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...
349.0	Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...	Capitol Limited Capitol Limited (Amtrak) Amtrak's Capitol Limited is one of the railroad's two routes connecting Washington, D.C. to Chicago, running via Cleveland, Ohio . Service began in 1981 and was named after the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Capitol Limited which ended in 1971 upon the formation of Amtrak... Pennsylvanian Pennsylvanian (Amtrak) The Pennsylvanian is a 444-mile daytime Amtrak train running between New York and Pittsburgh via Philadelphia. The trains travel through Pennsylvania's capital, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, suburban and central Philadelphia, and pass through New Jersey up to New York. Trains run once daily in...

Earlier studies

There have been earlier studies by the USDOT and FRA of the Keystone Corridor, and these studies contain proposals or speculations which might not be in the currently funded projects. Some of these ideas are below.

Amtrak service to Suburban Station

Suburban Station (Philadelphia)

Suburban Station is an underground, art deco, commuter rail station in the Penn Center district of Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its official SEPTA address is 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. The station is operated by SEPTA and is one of the three core Center City stations on the SEPTA...

, which is in Center City Philadelphia, ended in 1988. An early study says that PennDOT used Suburban Station as the Philadelphia endpoint for the 90-minute service to Harrisburg. Restoring service to Suburban Station may increase ridership but would require using the upper level of 30th Street Station and either scheduling trains to turn at Suburban Station or to continue through the Center City Commuter Tunnel

Center City Commuter Connection

The Center City Commuter Connection, commonly referred to as "the commuter tunnel", is a passenger railroad tunnel in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, built to connect the stub ends of the two separate regional commuter rail systems, originally operated by two rival railroad...

 (with Amtrak trains turning around at Wayne Junction).

Bypassing 30th Street Station by using the New York-Pittsburgh Subway would allow trains to skip a time-consuming stop and reverse of directions at 30th St Station and allow fast service between New York and Harrisburg. Historically, the PRR fast trains going to NY from the west would bypass 30th St Station, and passengers for Philadelphia would change trains at North Philadelphia. One study suggested two daily electric-train round-trips between New York and Harrisburg with stops in North Philadelphia and Ardmore, a routing last used by Keystone trains in 1994.

Track reconfiguration between Zoo and Overbrook interlockings can increase track speeds which are usually 30 miles per hour (13.4 m/s) due to the need to take diverging routes through switches. Reducing the number of diverging moves and the use of 45 miles per hour (20.1 m/s) switches can increase speeds. Also, the reconfiguration can allow for the removal of the overhead bridge that the R6 Cynwyd trains use. Some other interlockings may be removed or reconfigured. With the reconfiguration near Zoo, the Overbrook interlocking can be removed and replaced with 4 through tracks. Bryn Mawr interlocking may have storage tracks added west of the station to allow R5 Bryn Mawr locals to turn without occupying an express track. Paoli interlocking may be removed if the four-track configuration were to continue west of the station. Paoli station may be reconfigured with high-level island platforms serving all four tracks, as part of a new Paoli transportation center. Frazer interlocking may be reconfigured for turning SEPTA trains and as the point where four tracks become two.

Electrification may be converted to use commercial 60 Hz AC power instead of the special 25 Hz single-phase AC currently in use although this is doubtful due to the costs involved, lack of real benefits and dedicated 25 Hz hydro-electric capacity at the Safe Harbor Dam

Safe Harbor Dam

The Safe Harbor Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the lower Susquehanna River with an associated hydroelectric power station. It is the most northerly and last of three Great Depression-era public electrification projects' hydroelectric dams and was constructed between 1 April 1930 and 7 December...

 (which also generates electricity for the Northeast Corridor itself; the power going from the dam to the NEC (at Perryville, Maryland

Perryville, Maryland

Perryville is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,672 at the 2000 census. The town is located off Interstate 95, on the north side of the mouth of the Susquehanna River.-History:...

), via a 50-mile long pylon network). Between Paoli and 30th Street Station, most of the overhead electric wire and other electrification system components dates back to the original 1915 electrification, although the 1915 substations have been retired. West of Paoli the electrification dates from the late 1930s and west of Downingtown the system is still controlled by the original 1939 power dispatching office in Harrisburg utilizing electromechanical systems.

External links

• FRA Passenger Rail
• Amtrak Keystone Service
• Catch the Keystone, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
  The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Barry Schoch Presently, PennDOT supports over of state roads and highways, about 25,000...
  
   and Amtrak
  Amtrak
  The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
  
  
• Keystone Corridor on Google Maps