SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — From Manhattan to Montreal, Amtrak’s Adirondack Line is chugging along once again. But the resumption of service also carries big implications for the local economy.
Today’s reopening was not without hiccup. A bridge malfunction in New York City led to a Smorgasbord of delays across the board.
Rally against proposed cuts to Amtrak funding
Howard Marcus was traveling with a friend, and waited for that delayed train. For Mr Marcus, it was an exercise in patience, as he’s been planning this trip around the line’s re-opening.
“You have to be patient in life, and we wanted to take the train instead of driving to Montreal. It’s more scenic to take the train” Marcus told us.
The broader picture in all of this is the economic impact that northern service will have. Saratoga Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus says at least 30-40,000 more people will be getting off trains and shelling out cash in Saratoga Springs.
“You pretty quickly get to a few hundred dollars per person. And again, when you multiply that by 30 to 40,000 people you get a pretty significant impact” said Shimkus.
But the excitement of today’s reopening is tempered by what’s happening South of Saratoga in Washington. Proposed funding cuts by the House Appropriations Committee in the 2024 Federal budget could see Amtrak funding slashed by $1.6 billion. The Northeast corridor–which emcompases the Capital Region– in particular seeing the cuts.
NEWS 10 reached out to Representative Paul Tonko, a railroad advocate, whose office released a statement saying in short:
“…At a time when too many American families struggle to access safe and reliable transportation, we cannot afford to move backward…”
NEWS 10 also reached out to Congresswoman Ellie Stefanik regarding the cuts to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, and is awaiting her response.
Shimkus is also calling for a morning train departing Saratoga Springs for New York City, which he says would help Saratoga workers get to jobs in Albany, Schenectady and Troy without driving.
