New rail transit technology has evolved in the last 40 years.
Let’s put it to use.
Diesel Multiple Unit Hybrid Light Rail
DMUs are a cost-light but high-quality mode of modern transit. Frequent rail service between small towns can be brought to existing train tracks for little more than the cost of the vehicles and platforms.
This is not some far-off, untested technology like a hyperloop. DMUs exist successfully in New Jersey, and similar rail transit is the backbone of transit in rural Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.
Because DMUs use existing infrastructure, they fit well with historic, smaller Pennsylvania communities, and are a promising, economical alternative to car-dependency, even in rural environments.
Phase 1: Reuse existing rails to Penn State
State College is lucky enough to still have an active railroad two miles from campus: the publicly-owned railroad tracks from Tyrone to Bellefonte and Lemont. Phase one of the plan upgrades the existing tracks and closes the small gap between Lemont and State College to quickly create an initial rail transit system between Penn State, Bellefonte, and Altoona:
Starting in Hollidaysburg and with stations in the Altoona area, the DMU would become a backbone of local transit as well as provide rapid and effortless travel between Logan, Bald Eagle, and Nittany Valleys. This would open up Penn State jobs to Blair County residents, and Centre County recreation dollars to Altoona-area businesses.
In conjunction with improved east-west Amtrak Pennsylvanian service to Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New York, and potentially Cleveland, the DMU would have timed connections with intercity Amtrak service in Altoona and Tyrone. This would allow undergrads and alumni alike to have an easy, convenient transit option from many major Pennsylvania cities straight to Penn State’s front door.
For Penn State staffers and administrators not wishing to live in the hustle, bustle, and expense of State College, the DMU would provide a reliable commuting option. Previously passed-over towns like Bellwood, Tyrone, and Port Matilda could benefit from being better linked to the university, and workers living in Philipsburg could utilize a Park-and-Ride in Port Matilda, sparing expensive semesterly parking passes.
Within Nittany Valley, passenger rail would return between Bellefonte and State College for the first time since 1946. With stations in Milesburg, Bellefonte, Pleasant Gap, the Nittany Mall and Dale Summit Redevelopment, Lemont, and a terminus in State College near the intersection of College Ave. and University Dr., the DMU would similarly serve as a spine for the local CATABus, a reliable connector and revitalizer of distal communities, and an economic engine spreading student dollars beyond the confines of downtown.
Phase 2: Improve the service with new alignments
A more direct alignment is needed to make the DMU more time-competitive with driving, so a new tunnel underneath Bald Eagle Mountain will be built northeast of the Port Matilda Park-and-Ride (future-proofed for optional later double-tracking).
A new branch from the Nittany Mall to Bellefonte via the University Park Airport, will bypass the winding trackage along the Logan Branch and provide a frequent, reliable airport connection for Penn State and elsewhere in the region. The original route through Pleasant Gap and Axemann can remain in service as a local route if there is sufficient demand.
Several new stations improve the DMU as a local service as well as regional: stops at Graysdale, Science Park Dr., and the west
end of downtown State College will expand the usefulness for everyday commuters, and the Graysdale Station will connect with hiking trails in the Scotia Barrens for transit-accessible outdoor recreation.
The DMU will reappear aboveground in the Scotia Barrens and partially re-use the old Bellefonte Central Railroad grade to sneak through the Penn State Golf Courses, entering State College from the west. Street trackage in Calder Way makes a crosstown connection to the original State College Station, reversing the service flow back to Bellefonte and Milesburg.
Phase 3: Make a regional rail system
Because of historic, pre-car settlement patterns, many small towns in Central Pennsylvania are peri-urban – small, dense, walkable villages in between farmland, as opposed to modern suburban sprawl. This makes it surprisingly easy to build useful, successful transit in rural areas simply by placing stations in or close to village cores, as is the case elsewhere.
By once again re-using the historic Lewisburg and Tyrone Railroad right of way (significantly minimizing demolition and cost, unlike a brand-new highway), the DMU can be extended to Centre Hall, Spring Mills, and Millheim. This would turn these cute villages into thriving communities for faculty, staff, and students not wanting to live in State College, open up lucrative university jobs to residents of Penns Valley, and provide a car-free transportation alternative to valley residents needing to travel for errands or pleasure.
Finally, service could be extended up Bald Eagle and Lycoming Valleys from Milesburg to Lock Haven, Williamsport, and even back down to Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Duncannon, and Harrisburg. This would connect dozens of central Pennsylvania towns and small cities, improving micropolitan and intercity transit, and continuing to spread the
benefits of modern passenger rail beyond the confines of Penn State. Not every DMU would need to cover the full length of the route, and various service patterns or ‘short turns’ could be devised for where demand is highest, while a few vehicles cover the full system every hour or two.
Don’t forget about busses!
While the DMU rail transit is the flagship component of this plan, busses still have a part to play. Despite many Penn State staff, faculty, and students living in Lewistown, there are no transit options available. A new express CATA route would run from State College along 322 with stops in Milroy and Lewistown. This would make the two communities more attractive to commuters, as well as enrich local residents by giving them access to the amenities and commerce of State College. Traffic-calming highway roundabouts at the interchanges of Routes 322, 322 Business, and 45 complete the project (an idea first proposed by the PSU LARCH 414 Portfolio class).
This bus route also provides car-free access to outdoor recreation for residents and students alike, with a stop in Poe Paddy for hiking or camping, and Lewistown being right on the Juniata River for rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. Additionally, another connection to Amtrak is provided in Lewistown, giving yet more access to intercity travel.
A bus along Route 322 would significantly alleviate congestion by replacing up to six dozen cars for every bus that passes. By offering a transit option, the existing road is better able to handle the traffic load – no mega-highway demolition needed!
Bicycles need their own highways, too
Though it is possible to walk or bicycle along the side of any road, distracted driving makes it increasingly deadly to be a pedestrian or bicyclist. Thus, protected cycle tracks or dedicated hiker/biker trails are preferable to promote active transportation and recreation, and keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe from vehicles.
Moreover, bicycle trails are economic engines, attracting millions of dollars of recreation spending to communities and improving the health of local residents. They also serve as arteries of transportation and business, not just recreation: modern cargo bicycles can replace family cars for errands and commuting, having seating for up to four children, almost as much cargo capacity as a small pickup truck, or even the ability to replace delivery trucks. Much like DMUs, this is not some far-away or nebulous transportation concept; bicycle trails are already benefitting the economies of nearby Central Pennsylvania communities.
To bring this utility, economic benefit, and freedom of transportation choice to Penns Valley, an asphalt or macadam Rail-Trail should be constructed out of the old Lewisburg and Tyrone Railroad right of way. Connecting to an upgraded existing trail from State College to Boalsburg, it will join the L&T route alongside the DMU to Centre Hall and Spring Mills, then continue on the original line to Coburn where connections can be made to Millheim and the Mid-State Trail. A second, southern trail would proceed from Boalsburg near the existing Route 322 to Tussey and Colyer Lake, then heading into the woods to Penn-Roosevelt State Park. A north-south connection trail, making a loop, could be made from Centre Hall to Colyer or Potters Mill Gap. Critically, none of the new trails are near existing roadways, improving safety and on-trail experience.
This trail system will not only draw undergrad and faculty recreation dollars into the surrounding communities as well as give locals more transportation options, it will also allow access to car-free outdoor recreation with a safe, dedicated trails running straight from the heart of State College to the Penn-Roosevelt campsites, Colyer Lake, and the Mid-State Trail. No longer would you need to drive to a trailhead, it’s time for trails-to-trails!