1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I am writing to ask for your support for studying and developing passenger rail connecting Pittsburgh, Erie, and Buffalo, with onward connections to Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Niagara Falls, and Toronto. As a university professor and administrator, I travel frequently among universities, federal agencies, Department of Defense and research facilities, and industry partners throughout the Northeast. These trips highlight a significant transportation gap: many nearby cities are difficult to reach because direct air service does not exist and passenger rail connections are impractical. Pittsburgh's connections with Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are good examples. Travelers are often left with driving or connecting flights. Rail should complement aviation by serving these markets. A four- or five-hour train can compete with a connecting flight once airport access, security, connections, and ground transportation are considered. Even when rail takes about as long as driving, travelers can work during the trip rather than spend those hours behind the wheel. A direct Pittsburgh–Buffalo rail connection would make the most geographic sense, but terrain and existing rail alignments make a competitive route difficult. A more practical alternative may be existing rail infrastructure north toward Erie, followed by the east-west corridor to Buffalo. This could be an economic-development project for both Pittsburgh and Erie. Pittsburgh would gain a new transportation connection to Upstate New York and Toronto. Erie could become a regional junction for traffic between southwestern Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, supporting business, tourism, and downtown revitalization. Rail can also serve communities aviation cannot. Butler, Slippery Rock, and Grove City could gain useful intercity transportation, benefiting Slippery Rock University, Grove City College, the Grove City Premium Outlets, and surrounding communities. For Pittsburgh to receive the full benefit, the service should reach the urban core. Any study should evaluate access to Pittsburgh Union Station, with its existing Amtrak connections, as well as Station Square or other central-city alternatives if they offer a more practical alignment. I ask you to support state action and funding to evaluate this corridor and to encourage Pennsylvania to work with federal agencies, New York State, and the relevant railroads. The goal should be to determine what infrastructure, service frequency, and travel time would make the corridor competitive with connecting air travel and comparable in time to driving. This project could strengthen Pittsburgh, help revitalize Erie, serve smaller western Pennsylvania communities, and connect our region directly with Upstate New York and Toronto. Thank you for your consideration.