HARRISBURG, Pa. — Amtrak is investing $122 million in Pennsylvania to improve tracks on the Harrisburg line between Lancaster and Harrisburg.
The project will replace 1950s-era rail infrastructure.
This work will help to improve ride quality, increase service reliability and address necessary track maintenance, according to Amtrak officials. Specific details include:
- Installing 43 track miles of rail, replacing nearly 100% of rail in this territory
- Installing 113,000 concrete ties, each weighing approximately 900 pounds. That’s nearly 51,000 U.S. tons, or the weight of more than 29,000 small SUVs
- Cleaning and refreshing 226,500 feet of gravel track bed, or ballast, to support the track structure and improve drainage
“Amtrak is making historic infrastructure investments through projects like this one, which will replace obsolete 1950s-era rail infrastructure which is at the end of its useful life,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President of Capital Delivery Laura Mason. “We’re taking a fresh approach and expediting this important project with a combination of single and full track outages that will improve work efficiencies and reduce the duration of customer impacts.”
Amtrak is accelerating the project to replace this aging rail infrastructure and is planning to complete the project in nearly half the original estimated timeline of two years. Amtrak officials are planning to replace the existing wood ties with concrete ties, which have an expected lifespan of 60 years versus 25 years for traditional wood ties.
The project began on March 15 and the work will require a series of significant track outages from April 8 through Nov. 21.
During that period, Keystone Service trains between Lancaster (LNC) and Harrisburg, Pa. (HAR) only will be replaced with buses from approximately 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays.
A detailed list of planned schedule adjustments are as follows:
- Beginning April 8 and continuing through Nov. 21, Keystone Service trains will not operate between Harrisburg (HAR) and Lancaster (LNC) from approximately 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday
- Substitute bus service will be provided with four daily round trips
- There will be various schedule adjustments from Friday through Sunday and weekday mornings and evenings.
- Bus customers should plan to add approximately 45 minutes to their normal train trip
- Pennsylvanian service will not be affected; customers are encouraged to consider this option
- Further updates related to parking will be forthcoming between now and the start of the track outages
- Service will be adjusted with each phase of the project, please check for schedule changes
- Once the track outage concludes on Nov. 21, customers may notice minor delays through the area until the project is completed.
Customers should check Amtrak.com or the Amtrak mobile app for the latest schedules.
