Chester County Joins Berks & Montgomery To Form Rail Authority

WEST CHESTER —The Chester County commissioners voted this morning unanimously in favor of forming the Schuylkill River Train Authority to oversee a project to restore passenger train service from Philadelphia to Reading.

The commissioners joined Berks and Montgomery counties in approving the formation of a nine-member authority, which is necessary for the restoration to proceed.

The vote followed a public hearing in which public officials and residents expressed support for the revived train service.

The preliminary plan calls for restoring passenger train service on Norfolk Southern tracks, providing stops in Norristown, Phoenixville, Pottstown and Reading.

Brian O’Leary, executive director of the Chester County planning commission, said Amtrak requires one government authority representing all three counties to proceed with the project.

Amtrak will cover capital costs for the project.

Amtrak proposes three to 12 rides a day, with possible connections on other lines from Philadelphia to New York and Washington, D.C.

Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler said the borough has been working on restoring the train since the last train rolled into Phoenixville in the1980s.

“We are very excited about this,” the mayor said. “The rails on the line were made in Phoenixville.”

Urscheler said the passenger train will reduce traffic on Route 422 and bring economic equity to the community.

State Rep. Joseph Ciresi, a Democrat representing western Montgomery County, thanked the commissioners for their support.

“We are bringing back what everyone wants on the Monopoly board, the Reading Railroad,” Ciresi said.

Ciresi presented a letter of support from 17 state representatives and 11 state senators.