northnorthwest
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2013
- Messages
- 158
Just reading this article about new flights out of PIT
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2014/10/22/Sun-Air-to-begin-flying-into-Pittsburgh-International-Airport/stories/201410220165
It refers to "essential air service" and government funding. For example, a flight from PIT to Johnstown, which is about 2 hrs away with a once-daily Pennsylvanian ($36/round trip), to cost about $40 one way. Other flights will be offered to Altoona, Bradford, Jamestown, NY.
My question is this: If we have a government concept about essential air service, do we also have essential rail service? With these very local trips it would be so much more convenient if we had several trains a day going out of PGH (as I asked about in the PGH to CLE thread). Traveling to the airport, which is not nearby, waiting there for an hour, and then the flight time...it would just be easier to take a train there. There are many examples.
Anyway, I'm wondering if Amtrak fits into any official funding for essential rail or if there is such a thing. If there isn't, then I'd say we need it.
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2014/10/22/Sun-Air-to-begin-flying-into-Pittsburgh-International-Airport/stories/201410220165
It refers to "essential air service" and government funding. For example, a flight from PIT to Johnstown, which is about 2 hrs away with a once-daily Pennsylvanian ($36/round trip), to cost about $40 one way. Other flights will be offered to Altoona, Bradford, Jamestown, NY.
My question is this: If we have a government concept about essential air service, do we also have essential rail service? With these very local trips it would be so much more convenient if we had several trains a day going out of PGH (as I asked about in the PGH to CLE thread). Traveling to the airport, which is not nearby, waiting there for an hour, and then the flight time...it would just be easier to take a train there. There are many examples.
Anyway, I'm wondering if Amtrak fits into any official funding for essential rail or if there is such a thing. If there isn't, then I'd say we need it.