Outside Help Sought to Re-Think High-Speed Rail in Empire Corridor
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is proposing another look into what it would take to bring high-speed rail to the state, but with no mention of a return of passenger service in the Southern Tier.
In items to be included in the State of the State address in January, the Democrat says he wants to bring together outside experts to look at the state's past reports on high-speed rail and come up with a new plan.
Cuomo says previous plans over the last two decades have long said high-speed rail projects would take decades and prove unaffordable in New York.
He says “high speed rail is transforming economies around the world” and New York being told the technology is too expensive and difficult to bring to the state is “not an acceptable attitude.”
Much of the idea is to connect centers along the Empire Corridor that runs through New York City, Albany and Buffalo. The current average speed on those rail lines is 51 miles per hour, making it the slowest transportation option for travelers wanting to get to those urban hubs.
In years long gone by, trains used to leave Lackawanna Station in Binghamton with regular trips to New York City. Over the past 20-30 years there had been some talk, but no serious action, about returning passenger rail service to the region.