(The following column by Henry F. Sommers appeared on the Press & Sun-Bulletin website on January 10.)
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Herbert T. Landow is right about several things in his Dec. 18 Guest Viewpoint about rail passenger service. Running trains via the old Erie line through Port Jervis is untenable; the building of four-lane highways was a major factor in the downfall of the passenger train in the late 1960s; and you can’t revive a service like that on the basis of nostalgia. He also alluded to the fact that Binghamton couldn’t, and shouldn’t, bear the brunt of the cost of operating a train service. He forgot that full-size planes used to touch down and take off from Greater Binghamton Airport to many destinations, too.
The first full week in January marked 38 years since the last regular passenger service was offered through Binghamton to both Chicago and New York. So many things have changed since then. The cost of a gallon of gas at more than $3 — with the threat (or promise) of it going to and above $4 — is one thing most people can relate to. And if you are talking only of going to New York City, the cost of parking can approach $200 a day in some areas. Traffic congestion in and around New York City, especially during morning and evening commuter travel hours, causes time inconveniences but also adds to fuel consumption and additional air pollution; these stalling traffic tie-ups can start as far away from the city as 50 or 60 miles, too. Add to this the actual cost of rebuilding and maintaining four-lane highways (forget for the moment that the land cannot support more highways and lanes in the metropolitan area, that the air cannot absorb any more pollution, and that planners have abandoned the idea of building new highways in and around the metropolitan area) and costs go up for driving.
But there are other factors. As Mr. Landow pointed out, Binghamton can’t pay for the cost of a passenger train. Conrail pulled up 28 miles of track across New Jersey about 20 or so years ago, but the federal government, the state of Pennsylvania and New Jersey Transit are in a program of rebuilding the track and returning rail service back to Scranton with a start up date now set for 2010 or 2011. Therefore, all we must concern ourselves with is getting train service to Scranton. And if that service is operated from Buffalo via Hornell, Corning and Elmira or via Syracuse, there is another reason why Binghamton will not bear the full costs.
Travel times and NYC terminals are different today, too, for many reasons. The service being set up by Pennsylvania and New Jersey Transit is aimed at moving commuters into and out of North Jersey points as well as New York City. As far as those of us in the Southern Tier are concerned, going to the city is not a commute but for business, visiting, shopping, shows, sporting events or making connections to elsewhere via train or plane. NJT as well as the MTA, Long Island Railroad, Amtrak and others have done a fantastic job of improving connections amongst themselves as well as to the airports. It is a lot different than it was 38 years ago. For instance, there is now a connection from the former Lackawanna Railroad to the former Pennsylvania Railroad that makes it possible for trains from Binghamton to go directly into New York’s Penn Station; the right equipment now must be engineered to make it a reality.
There is a group here that has been meeting semi-regularly for the past several years, addressing the possibility of returning rail passenger service. The committee consists of representatives of federal, state and county leaders and planners, business leaders, local railroads’ representatives and members of the Empire State Passenger Association. In fact, it is the effort of our group that has brought things to the point that Amtrak can be legitimately approached by Sen. Charles Schumer to seek a survey.
No, not everything of the pending Scranton-Hoboken service is worked out. But under today’s circumstances, there is a more need for the service — economically, environmentally and in practicality. With gasoline and other attending prices spiraling, congestion getting worse, planners unable to find ways to build more highways in the metropolitan area — and with air quality a major factor — today’s transportation plans are incorporating rail passenger trains not as nostalgia, but as a viable solution.