Reading Eagle: Editorial: Rep. Costello, others boost Amtrak service

As published in the Daily Local News

Editorial Board

Rail travel in our region continues to be praiseworthy and largely efficient, two adjectives that we must say have not applied to the folks in Congress over the past several years. But recently, the two sides came to a worthy agreement over the future of Amtrak service in the Northeast Corridor, and one of the area’s newest national legislators worked helpfully to get the legislation through the House of Representatives.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-6th, of West Chester was one of 132 Republican House members who voted to approve the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act. The legislation, among other initiatives, provides for Amtrak to take the profits it gets from the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor routes between Boston and Washington, D.C. and reinvest the funds in services here, and not elsewhere. That reinvestment, hopefully, will improve service speed and allow for more passengers to take advantage of train service, especially commuters.

Costello on Tuesday was joined by members of the community as well as a bi-partisan group of elected officials to tout the bill, which will now hopefully be supported in the Senate. He gathered at the Downingtown Train Station, which serves thousands of riders every week on both Amtrak and SEPTA trains travelling between Philadelphia and Harrisburg.

Read the Full Editorial Here: https://bit.ly/1NSEJlv