08/13/2026
Great news!
The Warren County Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution at the August 12, 2026, meeting supporting the restoration of passenger rail service through the county, as identified in Amtrak’s “Vision for Improving Transportation Across America,” and requested that the State of New Jersey provide the necessary resources to coordinate with Amtrak and other relevant entities to further analyze the line.
Amtrak has released a report identifying the defunct passenger railroad corridor that traverses Warren County, part of the former Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western (DL&W) Railroad and known as the Lackawanna Cut-Off, for reactivation. Referenced in the report as “Scranton Service,” the report envisions this line providing three round trips per day between New York City and Scranton, Pennsylvania, with a stop in Blairstown.
Passenger rail service can be “a nice alternative method of transportation,” said Commissioner Director Lori Ciesla, instead of sitting in cars on overcrowded highways.
“Restoring passenger rail service to Blairstown would be a significant opportunity for Warren County and something worth pursuing as this project moves forward,” Commissioner James R. Kern III said. “For too long, Warren County has lacked the transportation options available to many other parts of New Jersey. A Blairstown station could provide our residents with a direct connection to New York City, help reduce traffic, support local businesses and tourism, attract new investment, and potentially strengthen property values throughout the area,” he added.
There are 69 proposed passenger rail corridors in 44 states that have been accepted into the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Corridor Identification (CID) program and are eligible to proceed to the program’s Step 1. Of those, five corridors, including the Scranton-NYC Rail Corridor, have advanced to Step 2 of the program under the category of New Conventional Rail Routes.
FRA, Amtrak, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT), NJ Transit, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority are collaborating through the FRA’s CID program to prepare a service development plan.
The Warren County Transportation Plan identified this corridor for continued evaluation of the reinstatement of passenger service to provide another mode of travel for those residing in Warren County and those traveling through the county, while also helping to reduce congestion on Interstate 80.
The Lackawanna Cut-Off is a historic rail line in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, originally built by the DL&W in the early 20th century. Known for its high-speed route with minimal grade changes, it was a significant engineering achievement that featured large cuts, fills, tunnels and two massive concrete bridges. The Cut-Off remained in use for 73 years before its abandonment and removal by Conrail in 1984.
Amtrak estimates that trains on the Lackawanna Cut-Off segment would transport 380,000 riders in its first year, rising to 470,000 after three years. Amtrak estimates that the regions surrounding the restored service could see up to $84 million each year in economic activity. The study also estimates that the service would include $20 million in user benefits, such as decreased travel time.
In the photo, Chuck Walsh, President of the North Jersey Rail Commuter Association and a Warren County resident, speaks in favor of the resolution as Commissioner Kern and Commissioner Director Ciesla listen.
