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Cecil-Newark rail line to be studied
Long-range plan proposes linking up with commuter service in Perryville

[Note from S.A.V.E.: Restoring rail service to/from Newark and Wilmington to Lancaster and Harrisburg and beyond in order to get freight off of the roadways is fraught with several major obstacles, including a gap in freight rail service between the Susquehanna River and Newark within the Amtrak right of way. If this disconnect was made whole, it is possible that freight could move by rail via the Norfolk Southern high-volume freight line running south from Harrisburg along the Susquehanna River, known as the Port Deposit Line.

The problem is that freight traffic moving over the Port Deposit Line has to use passenger tracks on the Amtrak Corridor to connect with the Norfolk Southern trackage at Newark and the Port of Wilmington. This means that freight can only move at night when passenger trains are not using the Corridor. As a consequence many freight trains "go on the ground" in Harrisburg, with the cargoes being trucked to Wilmington and Newark from Harrisburg.

S.A.V.E. supports efforts to study the rail line between Cecil County, Maryland and Newark, Delaware. If a connecting freight-only track could be constructed within the Amtrak right of way, it is possible that a significant amount of freight traffic could be diverted from trucks in the 283-30-41 Corridor onto rail from Harrisburg to Newark and Wilmington. This Wilmington News Journal article describes a study being undertaken regarding Cecil-Newark passenger service.]

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Along nearly 460 miles of commuter rail lines between Richmond, Va., and New London, Conn., there is one major gap - the 20 miles between Perryville, Md., and Newark.

Maryland and Delaware officials are now looking to close that gap.

Today, the Cecil County Office of Planning, Zoning and Parks will hold a public workshop in Elkton to take comments for a study that will examine the feasibility of extending Maryland commuter rail from Perryville to Newark.

It could mean that commuter trains from Philadelphia and Baltimore will one day meet and exchange passengers at stations in Delaware.

But planners emphasize that the new rail line is a long-term goal.

"Right now, frankly, it doesn't look like it will happen any time soon," Anthony DiGiacomo, principal planner with Cecil County, said.

State governments in both Maryland and Delaware are struggling with budget deficits and SEPTA, the regional rail system in Philadelphia, recently announced it would be increasing fares and cutting back on service.

However, SEPTA rail service from Newark to Philadelphia has been growing in ridership over the past five years, according to the Delaware Department of Transportation.

In 2001, the SEPTA line from Delaware carried more than 725,000 riders, up from 471,000 in 1997.

The state also is studying the feasibility of restarting a Wilmington-to-Dover rail line.

DiGiacomo said it is important to plan for anticipated growth now, years or decades in advance, rather than wait for problems to arise.

Increased rail service would take drivers off I-95 and reduce congestion and pollution, he said. Track improvements would also help commerce because it would free up track space for freight trains, he said.

Today's meeting will be 4 to 10 p.m. at the Cecil County Commissioners Chamber, 107 North St., Elkton.

Amtrak currently provides service along the Northeast corridor and links Wilmington with Baltimore and other cities. However, the addition of commuter rail would increase the choices for passengers and significantly reduce the price, according to DiGiacomo.

It costs between $45 and $95 to take Amtrak one way from Wilmington to Washington. Regional commuter rail service in Baltimore, called MARC or Maryland Area Rail Commuter, charges about $9 from Perryville, Md., to Washington.

DiGiacomo said the study of Perryville to Newark rail service will take a more detailed look at potential ridership numbers and financial questions over the next year.

Raymond Miller, executive director of the Delaware Transit Corp. said Delaware is interested in having Maryland commuter rail service extend to Delaware.

DiGiacomo said the feasibility study should be completed by next April.

If the study is favorable to rail service and approved, new track work would likely be necessary, meaning the service would not begin until 2020 or 2025, he said. A rail link between Elkton and Newark, however, could occur much sooner, he said.

Reach Sean O'Sullivan at 324-2777 or at sosullivan@delawareonline.com