Pennsylvania's plans to enhance its intercity train service, including additional trips to Harrisburg and New York City and expansion into the Midwest, face uncertainty due to potential changes in federal funding under the new administration. Although some federal funds are secured, discretionary funds like the $144 million allocated for a new daily round trip between Pittsburgh and New York City are at risk of being withdrawn. This service would not only connect to New York but also improve cross-state travel to various locales, including Harrisburg and Philadelphia.

According to editorial coverage published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in late February, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll remains optimistic, hoping that the discretionary grant awarded by the previous administration will be honored. However, the new administration's track record which includes a proposed 13% cut to Amtrak's budget shortly after Trump's 2017 inauguration, does raise concerns about the future of passenger rail.

Amtrak, which was nearing an operational profit before the pandemic, has historically operated at a deficit like most rail agencies, relying on government subsidies to maintain affordable fares due to the public benefits of rail connectivity. Feasibility studies for new routes connecting Pittsburgh with Chicago may never happen according to the PG's editorial board, though interstate collaboration, often spurred by federal support, is crucial for such projects, and without it, they are vulnerable to abandonment.

Despite skepticism, there is a glimmer of hope as new Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has acknowledged the merit of federal funding for certain rail projects, such as Brightline West, which aims to connect Los Angeles with Las Vegas. Pittsburgh's strategic location as a historic rail hub near major population centers provides a strong argument for investing in its passenger rail infrastructure, both for the region's benefit and the nation's.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette