Officials Present Alternative Analysis for the Quakertown Rail Restoration Project

The feasibility and status of extended rail service to Quakertown and beyond was presented to a packed meeting room last night at the Hatfield Township Building on School Road. 

Findings of the second phase of the Alternative Analysis for the Quakertown Rail Restoration Project was discussed, and there was a question and answer period at the end.

TMA Bucks — a transportation and management association — Bucks County Planning Commission, Montgomery County Planning Commission, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Jacobs Engineering, Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers, SEPTA, as well as local officials and concerned residents were among those in attendance.

Steve Noll, director of TMA Bucks, said the Lansdale-Quakertown corridor is one of the fastest growing areas in the entire state, therefore creating a need for improved transportation to ease the congestion and the resulting pollution on area roads. 

An Alternatives Analysis study was undertaken by Bucks and Montgomery Counties to assess various choices.

Valarie Discafani, of Jacobs Engineering, completed the technical work for the project and staged the presentation.  She said that passenger service on the line above Lansdale, culminating in Quakertown, ceased in 1981. 

There had been an interest by various groups to reopen the line, but in recent years it had grown quiet, and many thought the deal was dead.  But as the audience learned, there is still interest and it remains a sensitive issue for some.

In the interim, rules and regulations have changed. This caused those pursuing the venture the need to keep up-to-date so as to present their plans in accordance with specific methodologies that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has set forth. 

Their original draft did not meet the criteria, which is required if seeking federal funding through either the New Starts or Small Starts program.

According to Matthew Mitchell, of the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers (DVARP), 50 percent of the funding for this project would likely come from a federal grant.

“There are two branches in the federal program—the New Starts, and the Small Starts.  The Small Starts receives less funding, but there is less bureaucracy associated with it.  The state would probably pick up about 33 percent with local accounting for 16 percent,” he said.

Mitchell has been a volunteer for the DVARP for 20 years, and is a daily commuter on the Lansdale line — choosing his home in Glenside because of the ease of travel into center city Philadelphia for work, leisure, and availability to the arts.

“I view train time as productive time,” he said.  "The time spent in a car is wasted time."

Mitchell related that the DVARP secured “quiet cars” for the SEPTA commuter trains and was instrumental in fare rollbacks of about $2 million recently.  He said that SEPTA wanted to increase fares by nine to 10 percent — an increase much in excess of what was needed to balance their budget.

Discafani reviewed the current alternatives that are being considered.  There are five alternatives, with one being billed as “no build” and the remaining four being “build alternatives.”

The first alternative, considered the Baseline Alternative — also referred to as the “no build” alternative — would introduce three new bus routes, additional SEPTA rail vehicles and improvements to the Lansdale station. 

New stops would be at Hatfield, Souderton, Telford, Pennridge, Perkasie, Quakertown, and Shelly.  The estimated cost of this alternative is $16 million.  Potential new ridership is estimated at 570 daily.

The second alternative, Build Alternative 1, would consist of a 20-mile diesel rail shuttle to Shelly with a transfer to a SEPTA train in Lansdale.  At the present time, electric does not exist north of the Lansdale station making diesel mandatory for freight trains currently using the existing track as well as passenger rail. 

This alternative would stop at all of the new stations listed above, and the cost is estimated at $245 million with a potential new daily ridership of 3,700.  It is felt that the need to transfer trains would impact the amount of riders.  Trains would run every 30 minutes peak, and every two hours off-peak; thus, provided 14 round trips per day.

The third alternative, Build Alternative 2, would be composed of a 20-mile extension of the SEPTA electric rail service with direct service to center city Philadelphia without the need to change trains in Lansdale.   Stops would be made at all of the seven aforementioned new stations. 

The estimated cost of this alternative comes in at $391 million, causing a major cost impact which may not prove realistic.  Ridership would grow to 6,700 passengers on a daily basis, also providing 14 round trips per day.  

The fourth alternative, Build Alternative 3, would provide an electric rail extension of only eight miles — culminating at the Pennridge station, but providing direct service to center city Philadelphia with no need to transfer in Lansdale.  Hatfield, Souderton, Telford, and Pennridge would be the stops for this plan, and the estimated cost would be approximately $182 million.  Passengers would fall to 5,200, but would still provide 14 round trips per day.

The fifth and final alternative, Build Alternative 4, would be identical to #3, but would provide expanded off-peak service to center city Philadelphia consisting of 19 round trips per day.  Ridership and costs would remain the same because projected use of additional off-peak travel was not expected.  Passenger estimates were provided by the DVARP. 

Discafani explained that the rating scheme for federal funding is of upmost importance, and Alternative #3 was considered the most monetarily in alignment with FTA guidelines according to Jacobs’ studies.

“The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is concerned with the cost effectiveness,” she said.

Because of that, the best alternative was determined to be the electric to Pennridge option, or Alternative #3, with eight additional miles of track and four new stations.  She stated that federal funding, the availability of extending the electric power from Lansdale, the possibility of future expansion, and a relatively short term implementation all played a role in the decision.

It was noted that any additional service beyond Lansdale would require reworking the ballast, or base, improving drainage, and welding new rails that would make for a smoother, quieter ride for passengers and nearby homes.  Any extension of the line would make use of the present right of way that is owned by SEPTA, and would continue to be used for freight service.

After the presentation by Discafani, the floor was opened up for questions, with most being answered by Discafani with input from others as needed.  Residents in close proximity to the rail line were concerned about the added trains each day — 28 trips, and the impact on noise, pollution, and a decline in property values.

Matthew Mitchell noted that a study, conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank in Philadelphia, found that property values actually increased in areas where there was good commuter train service to the city, and that rail services and public transit increase the quality of life.  Although some were not convinced, there was a contingent eager to embrace the possibility of the new rail service.

Steve Noll, of TMA Bucks tried to reassure those that were uncertain.

“This is all still a concept—just still an idea,” he said.

Discafani also left the audience with something to contemplate.

“Transportation is a political issue, and so is the funding for it,” she lamented.

The next step includes securing funding for the next phase which would include environmental studies as well as engineering studies.

If all goes smoothly and funding is secured and approvals are met, it could still be five to seven years until that first train makes its way up the tracks beyond Lansdale. 

The public is urged to provide input or ask questions regarding the Lansdale-Quakertown Corridor Alternatives Analysis by contacting Steve Noll, Deputy Director of TMA Bucks at infor@bucksmontcorridor.com.