WASHINGTON — Three members of Congress from the Northeast have requested additional Amtrak service for Trenton, N.J., and the Metropark station in Iselin, N.J.
In a letter to Amtrak President Roger Harris, U.S. Reps. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) note the upcoming World Cup soccer games and semiquincentennial events planned in New Jersey, which are expected to increase ridership, and say the two stations “serve dense constituencies and economic drivers.” Since Amtrak’s September 2023 schedule revision, they say, Trenton has been the only state capital on the Northeast Corridor without Acela service, while Metropark, about 17 miles southwest of Newark, has seen a decrease in Acela and Northeast Regional stops.
“Decreased service to Trenton and Metropark risks distancing the government, residential, and tourism hubs they serve from access to the Northeast Corridor,” the legislators write. “As the rollout of the NextGen Acela trainsets continues and as these high-profile events approach, we request that you ensure Trenton and Metropark are adequately served in the face of this anticipated ridership growth, including by Acela trainsets.”
The full letter is available here.
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If they want even more trains than they already get with their “premium” service they (states) can pay for it themselves like those of us in states that have to do so to acquire additional service in the Midwest & West coast.
And to think half century back a 3rd track was to be removed NY Penn to Phila. There was freight service then. Now, things are tight.