PennDOT seeks public input on state rail plan through Oct. 24; Lebanon mentioned

Lebanon County residents have until Oct. 24 to weigh in on Pennsylvania’s rail future as the state Department of Transportation seeks public comment on its 2025 State Rail Plan.

The plan, updated every four years in collaboration with the Federal Railroad Administration, charts a 25-year vision for passenger and freight rail investments across the commonwealth. PennDOT will host a virtual public meeting Oct. 16 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. to discuss the proposal.

“With more operating railroads than any other state in the country, rail is a critical part of Pennsylvania’s transportation landscape,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said in announcing the comment period.

For Lebanon County, the plan highlights both opportunities and longstanding frustrations. The draft acknowledges the county’s lack of direct Amtrak access — a service gap that hasn’t been filled since passenger trains last served the city in 1963.

Public comments submitted to the plan echo this concern, with residents noting “no easy access to Amtrak from Lebanon” and suggesting bus connections to nearby stations. A 2022 petition calling for Amtrak to restore the historic Queen of the Valley route has gathered about 200 signatures, though the rail carrier has shown no interest in resuming Lebanon service.

Read More: Amtrak says rumors of passenger service through Lebanon aren’t true

The plan does recognize Lebanon County’s growing importance as a freight and logistics hub, noting that better coordination between passenger rail and public transit could improve worker access to the county’s expanding warehouse sector.

Currently, Lebanon residents must drive to Amtrak stations in Harrisburg, Lancaster, or Elizabethtown — each about an hour away — to access passenger rail service along the East Coast and connections west to Chicago.

Residents can view the draft plan and submit comments at the Advancing PA Rail website or through email to RA-PDPASRP@pa.gov.