A southbound Amtrak Vermonter train waits at the Holyoke train station. Pioneer Valley officials are pushing for more frequent connectivity between Springfield and Boston, currently served by Amtrak’s once-a-day Lake Shore Limited which runs from Chicago to Boston. Photo courtesy of Pi.1415926535 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Officials in the Pioneer Valley are hailing a new, daily Amtrak service through the region as a potentially “game-changing” economic development opportunity.
Amtrak and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation are jointly launching a seven-day-a-week service between Greenfield and New Haven, Connecticut that will see three northbound and three southbound trains make the trip Monday to Friday, with a single pair of northbound and southbound runs on the weekends complimented by a northbound and a southbound train running a shorter route from Springfield to Greenfield.
“This pilot program could be a game-changer for our region, better connecting travelers and businesses while growing our economy,” Rep. Jim McGovern said in a statement. “The Valley Flyer will finally make it possible for those in the Knowledge Corridor to commute to places like New York City and back in the same day while bringing more travelers into Massachusetts. I want to thank Amtrak and MassDOT for this investment in our community and will continue working to improve rail service so more people can see all our region has to offer.”
In Massachusetts, all trains will stop in Springfield, Holyoke, Northampton and Greenfield. In Connecticut, the trains will connect the Pioneer Valley to Metro North and Amtrak trains to New York and Amtrak trains to Providence and Boston. Currently, the Pioneer Valley’s only rail service is a once-a-day Amtrak Vermonter train that runs from the Canadian border to Washington, D.C.
Local officials are convinced better train connections between the area and the hot New York and Boston economies are key to helping area businesses grow and helping area communities attract new residents, as state Sen. Eric Lesser wrote in a recent Banker & Tradesman column.
“We are pleased to be collaborating with Amtrak on this two-year pilot passenger train service which will provide another transportation option along the Knowledge Corridor,” Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said in a statement. “We’ve appreciated the enthusiasm and support of municipal officials, members of the Massachusetts legislature, the Massachusetts congressional delegation, railroad companies and the business community in helping to launch the service and believe this new transportation option will be an economic boost to the region, a convenient travel option, and a step toward reaching our greenhouse gas reductions goals.”
