The Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, along with key partners, hosted a rally to restore passenger train service on Tuesday night at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Pocono Manor.

The purpose for the rally was to build up momentum for the efforts to restore passenger rail service between Scranton, the Poconos and New York City.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the Federal Railroad Administration had accepted the project and moved it into the Corridor Identification and Development Program. By being accepted into the program, it qualifies the proposed passenger rail line for up to $500,000 to develop the next steps of the project.

Those next steps involve items such as securing the path for the rail line, much of it has been accomplished by the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority, and updating the cost of construction.

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright said the proposed rail service from New York City with stops in East Stroudsburg, Mount Pocono and Scranton is one of the 69 corridors selected to go forward, but is near the top of the list.

With about 500 people in attendance, Cartwright embraced the pep rally idea and suggested the crowd reply “We do” when he asked a question.

“Who wants to add $84 million a year, every year, to the local economy,” Cartwright asked. “We do,” the crowd answered,

“Who wants to put in the kind of tourism dollars that make Chris Barrett (the president and CEO of the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau) salivate,” he said. After a few laughs, the group answered, “We do.”

“Who wants to create more jobs and better paying jobs right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania? ‘We do.’

“Who wants to make our local economy so strong that if our kids want to make it big they don’t have to move away? ‘We do.’

“Who wants to add so much money to our tax base that are seniors don’t have to bear so much of the burden of the local taxes? ‘We do.’

“Who wants to take 414,000 cars off the road every year so we don’t keep pouring carbon pollution in the air and money into widening are roadways? … Who wants to get this done? ‘We do.’ Well I do too, ladies and gentlemen,” Cartwright said.

Bringing passenger rail back to the Poconos has been a dream of area citizens since 1970. The project got a boost in November 2021 with the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Federal Railroad Administration was slated to receive $66 billion for rail service, of which $36 billion was earmarked for passenger rail service. Amtrak was to get $22 billion.

When the line is completed, projected right now for 2028, it will offer three daily round trips from Scranton to NYC in a little less than three hours.

Also speaking at the rally were Tyler Kusma, the executive director of Scranton Rail Restoration Coalition; Mike Carroll, the secretary of Transportation for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; Eliot Hamlisch, the EVP and chief commercial officer of Amtrak; and Larry Malski, president of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority.